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Mental disorders in the Middle East are soaring
Exploding suicide rate
While the suicide rate globally increased by 19% during this period, it increased by 100-152% in Islamic countries of North Africa, Arabia and South Asia..
Insoluble violence leads to mental disorders such as borderline, trauma and anxiety disorders. (Laurin Rinder / fotolia) Mental disorders
The 15 reports in the International Journal of Public Health also show a significant increase in mental illness. The most common are depression and anxiety disorders, but also bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are rampant.
Insoluble violence
The head of the study, dr. Ali Mokdad explains: "Deep-seated unsolvable power relationships create a lost generation of children and young adults. The future of the Middle East will look grim if we fail to bring stability to the region. "
Too few psychiatrists
Although the number of qualified professionals to treat these diseases is increasing, there are still far too few psychiatrists on the ground.
80 times fewer psychiatrists in Europe
On average, one psychiatrist has an average of 200,000 people in the affected countries and 80 in Europe.
Who is the subject of the study??
The study covers 600 million people in the 22 countries of the Maghreb, the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, as well as Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Wars and crises
The people of this region have been facing wars, crises and hunger for decades. In 2015 alone, around 208,000 people died from war, murder and suicide, 144,000 of them directly in the war.
Mental disorders of refugees
From these countries, for example from Syria and Afghanistan, comes a large part of the refugees seeking refuge in Europe. They often suffer from trauma.
Therapy for traumatized?
However, this hardly plays a role in the asylum procedure. Asylum seekers are only entitled to medical care for acute illnesses.
comprehension problems
Doctors who treat those affected often misdiagnose because no interpreter is present. For example, psychiatric illnesses can usually only be clarified with a precise knowledge of life circumstances. Consequences of a trauma can easily be confused with psychotic episodes of schizophrenia.
Borderline and post traumatic stress syndrome
The experiences of refugees are almost a recipe for contracting borderline syndrome or post traumatic stress syndrome. Borderline, however, is accompanied by symptoms that also occur in other affective disorders: anxiety disorders, dissociations or obsessive lies.
Studies are pending
Borderline syndrome studies are pending in the Eastern Mediterranean countries and among refugees coming from these countries. Countless people face this, who suffer from severe mental disorders and do not receive qualified treatment. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)