Beirut – Rabih Chammay, Head of Lebanon’s Mental Health Programme, disclosed on Tuesday in Beirut, that one fifth of Syrian refugees that fled to Lebanon may be suffering from mental health disorders.
He said more than a million Syrians, have fled to Lebanon since the start of the conflict five years ago, placing a huge strain on health services in the country.
The health officer noted that the gaps in Lebanon’s mostly private mental health services and a major shortage of mental health professionals, mean many refugees’ needs are not being met.
“The public health system in Lebanon has been under tremendous pressure and the specialised services that are currently offered for Syrians in need of mental healthcare are not enough.
He said mental health services in Lebanon are mostly private, so refugees rely heavily on NGOs for mental health care.
Chammay said government is now overhauling mental health care and integrating it into primary health care, aimed at allowing general medical doctors to offer mental health services and refer complex cases to specialists.
He said even though there was no data on the number of Syrian refugees with mental health problems, but the WHO estimated that 15 to 20 per cent of people in a humanitarian crisis suffer mild or moderate disorders.
The officer said the estimate suggested that over 200,000 Syrians in Lebanon could be affected.
“Witnessing atrocities and losing one’s loved ones, home, livelihood, friends, community and social standing can all create or worsen mental health problems.
He said the daily stresses of living as a refugee lack of access to basic necessities and limited work and education opportunities, add to the pressure.
“Common symptoms include anxiety, depression, withdrawal, insomnia, nightmares, tearfulness and despair.
Mohamed Elshazly, Regional Mental Health Consultant, warned that a failure to address mental health problems would have social and economic repercussions for both Lebanon and Syria.
He was of the opinion that if mental health conditions in children and adolescents are left untreated this could lead to a lost generation which would have a long term impact on Syria’s future after the war.
The International Medical Corps (IMC), which provides psychosocial support for Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey, said people with untreated mental health issues could gradually lose their ability to function in society.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
“Children may drop out of school and fail to acquire skills needed to prosper in life.
“Adults may find it difficult to hold down a job, form healthy relationships or care for their children.
“This puts a strain on not only the individual but also the family,’’ it said.
The IMC said if problems remain unaddressed, people’s lives can spiral out of control, resulting in homelessness and increasing the risk of physical health problems, injury, violence and abuse.
It said further that Health Ministry, WHO and UNICEF have set up a taskforce of some 60 agencies which is training doctors, nurses and social workers to provide refugees with mental health services.
Psychotherapist, Anne-Marie Ghossain, said one problem facing NGOs is that many refugees do not ask for help because they do not realise they need it.
“ Others may be reluctant to do so when they have no money and are struggling to feed their families.
Ghossain cited the case of Mohamed, a seven-year-old Syrian who was having serious problems adjusting to life as a refugee, and was therefore failing at school.
“Therapy is helping, but his family stopped his treatment because they could not afford transport to the clinic.
She said psychotherapists working with NGOs tend to treat refugees by focusing on changing troublesome behaviours, feelings and thoughts.
“Some refugees need long term psychoanalytic therapy, which is difficult to provide given the shortage of specialists and the fact refugees often move around.
“The stigma surrounding mental health is another hurdle.
“Many people are reluctant to attend mental health centres for fear of being seen as “mad, this is one reason why integrating such services into general health provision is important,’’ she said. (Reuters/NAN)