Mental Health & Afghanistan Crisis

What’s going on?

Afghanistan has been in conflicts since 1978. Generations have been born during these conflicts, and have never known peace.

During these prolonged stretches of war, people have been exposed to many different traumatic events like witnessing violence, losing loved ones, sustaining war injuries, becoming a refugee or an internally displaced person, serving as a fighter, being separated from family members etc, all of which inevitably imbeds traumatic memories and raises the chances of developing psychological problems.

This issue has become even more vital due to the recent events of the Talibansweeping into the country’s capital.

Patently, due to the near forty years of uninterrupted war, there is a psychological epidemic plaguing the Afghani people.

Psychological Influence

After decades of war, violence and displacement, Afghanistan is in the grip of a mental health crisis and its impact is clearly evincing its symptoms on its population.

There has been a huge surge in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, poorer life outcomes etc. The International Psychosocial Organisation (IPSO) has estimated that 70% of Afghanistan's 37 million residents are in need of some psychological support.

Thus, Afghanistan has been called as a 'trauma state'; implying that trauma caused by war fuels more war, in turn causing more trauma; and the cycle continues.

Mental Health Conditions

In the midst of these ceaseless conflicts, majority of the psychological impact falls upon the women and children of Afghanistan. According to a studies 81% of the casualties arising from the explosive remnants of war were children. The injuries caused by such frequent combats wound these children mentally, having a lasting effect. They are more likely to experience depression, night terrors, difficulty concentrating, aggressive behaviour, muteness, even sleepwalking etc.

Children are also sometimes separated from their families/communities by armed groups. These ‘child soldiers’ can witness or participate in killings and experience other severe traumatic events. Many former ‘child soldiers’ may also face rejection from their families/communities after the war. This can have a huge toll on the child’s mental well-being; leading to depression, anxiety, paranoia etc.

Alongside children, women are also at a high risk of experiencing mental health issues stemming from the warfares. They may suffer disproportionately during and after the war, as existing inequalities are magnified and social networks are broken down.

Women also become increasingly vulnerable to verbal/ sexual/ physical exploitation, an example of which is forced marriages involving young Afghan girls. Thus, many women and girls are exposed toviolence – or the threat of it.

As reported, 80% of the estimated 3,000 Afghan suicides every year are women.

In addition, a study found out that one in every five women out of the 1,463 in trial had been exposed to a traumatic event by witnessing an armed attack. These women were found more likely to develop depressive and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) symptoms.

Their condition is exacerbated by intimate partner violence (IPV) that occurs in domestic settings.

IPV has reportedly increased during conflict and post-conflict periods, along with arising domestic violence against women as a consequence of the trauma suffered by men.

Moreover, studies show that women who experience both war trauma and IPV are more likely to engage in domestic violence towards their own children, which subsequently fosters to a low psychological wellbeing in them, creating a cycle of cross-generational mental health issues.

Conclusion

The aftermath of undergoing such severe trauma, especially on the minds of developing children, can be devastating. Along with this, not having basic support resources worsens the situation. These unfortunate people are being forced to undergo such predicaments no one deserves to experience. Armed attacks, war and conflicts aren’t healthy for one’s mind either, and its impact is evident in Afghanistan.

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Children are also sometimes separated from their families/communities by armed groups. These ‘child soldiers’ can witness or participate in killings and experience other severe traumatic events. Many former ‘child soldiers’ may also face rejection from their families/communities after the war. This can have a huge toll on the child’s mental well-being; leading to depression, anxiety, paranoia etc.

Alongside children, women are also at a high risk of experiencing mental health issues stemming from the warfares. They may suffer disproportionately during and after the war, as existing inequalities are magnified and social networks are broken down.

Women also become increasingly vulnerable to verbal/ sexual/ physical exploitation, an example of which is forced marriages involving young Afghan girls. Thus, many women and girls are exposed toviolence – or the threat of it.

As reported, 80% of the estimated 3,000 Afghan suicides every year are women.

In addition, a study found out that one in every five women out of the 1,463 in trial had been exposed to a traumatic event by witnessing an armed attack. These women were found more likely to develop depressive and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) symptoms.

Their condition is exacerbated by intimate partner violence (IPV) that occurs in domestic settings.

IPV has reportedly increased during conflict and post-conflict periods, along with arising domestic violence against women as a consequence of the trauma suffered by men.

Moreover, studies show that women who experience both war trauma and IPV are more likely to engage in domestic violence towards their own children, which subsequently fosters to a low psychological wellbeing in them, creating a cycle of cross-generational mental health issues.