One in four Lebanese individuals will suffer from mental illness in his/her lifetime. Every 2.5 days, one person commits suicide. This week, 20-year-old business student, dancer and social activist
Nourhan Hammoud ended her life, shocking her community in Lebanese,
where she had many friends and fans. Her death not only only prompted
grief and condolences, but also gave way to judgement and criticism,
sparking intense debate among the Lebanese.
And it drew some much needed attention to the country’s deficient mental health syste Discussion about mental illness in Lebanese society is often hushed
and ridiculed. They are widely viewed as trivial, temporary or
self-healing, taking a backseat to political and economic turmoil that
is a mainstay of the country. Things are even worse for migrant domestic workers, who receive
minimal protection from Lebanese authorities against widespread
abuse. One domestic worker commits suicide in Lebanon each month,
according to Think Progress.
“Our ad agencies make fun of anxiety. Our society makes fun of
depression. We ridicule schizophrenia. We fear bipolars. We look at
these people who are ill and call them “insane,” put them in a corner,
chastise them, segregate them, drive them away instead of in,” said Elie Fares in his blog, State of Mind.
Moreover, the cost of psychiatric treatment in a place where
purchasing power continues to plummet makes getting professional help a
less than appealing option.
Luckily, organizations like Embrace and Idraac have worked to educate the public, raise awareness and break the stigma surrounding mental illness.
So while many of the comments made in discussions surrounding
Nourhan’s death were insensitive, we’re glad that silence around the
subject has been interrupted, if not broken, and hope that it helps to
put the taboos around the subject to rest.
