Mental Health

Our own recent field research and key NGO reports show rising psychopathology in Lebanese youth as they lack access to mental health services amidst rapidly worsening living conditions. The sociopolitical crisis and unprecedented recession, greatly exacerbated by COVID-19, have led to high inflation and pushed 50% of Lebanese to poverty and unemployment. Our innovation, Yes to Emotions in Youth (YEY), will provide 600 vulnerable youth in public schools with accessible mental health resources.

Après trois décennies de conflicts, la région du Sud-Kivu en République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) où la moitié de la population a moins de 25 ans a subi et subit encore des violences quotidiennes. Celles et ceux qui en échappent gardent de profonds traumatismes psychologiques qui peuvent hypothéquer leur avenir familial, économique et social. La majorité se trouve dans l’incapacité de guérir de ces maux à cause d’un faible accès aux institutions de santé mentale.

There are approximately 1,500 incarcerated teenagers in Mexico. Many exhibit mental health (“MH”) symptoms, including depression and anxiety, which tend to increase whilst incarcerated. Due to a lack of public funding and inefficient policy, most do not have access to evidence based MH services, increasing risk of criminal recidivism.

Children with HIV have higher rates of attempted suicide and self-harm than their peers; anxiety and depression are associated with non-adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART), substance abuse and risky sexual practices (Vreeman et al 2017). In Uganda, perinatally infected children and adolescents on ART show disorder prevalences of 17.4% (psychiatric), 9.6% (behavioral) and 11.5% (emotional) (Kinyanda et al 2015); younger children are more likely to lack coping strategies (Mutumba et al 2015).

In 2014, ISIS launched a genocidal campaign against Yezidis, killing men and enslaving women and children. Yezidi youth have been exposed to multiple atrocities, remain displaced, have little or no income, and are severely traumatized. They live in camps with limited access to education, mental health services or opportunities. Hopelessness and absence of safe spaces have led to rising suicide rates. Yezidis have lived in insulated communities, with limited interaction with the outside world.

India's regionally and economically diverse LGBTQIA++ youth, despite decriminalization, are at high risk of mental health (MH) issues due to dominant heterocentrism, conservative and discriminatory social attitudes. A lack of MH literacy, affirming supportive community networks, and internalized social stigma often results in depression, self-harm, and normalized abuse in social structures. Insufficient awareness of MH, sexuality, and a lack of self-care skills exacerbates this ignored crisis.

Boko Haram attacks have affected community life, leaving many youth especially girls who are the main targets for suicide bombs, emotional torture and associated trauma. Unfortunately, access to psychosocial care remains almost non-existent. Villages lack social services as most state owned social centers only exist in chief towns. While some organizations have attempted to address this issue, most activities only provide partial psychosocial components with little attention on youths 10-24

COVID-19 crisis has badly affected countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), adding turbulence and fear to unsustainable economic and political environment. During COVID19 pandemic, Teenergizer got the significant increase of requests from young people suffering from social isolation, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, personality disorder and suicidal feelings. Health and social care services are not youth friendly, so young people usually avoid it and look for help in the community

Deafblindness combines varying degrees of vision and hearing impairment. Deafblind individuals face discrimination due to their inability to communicate and are denied human rights. Communication for deafblind individuals is through touch, which has been limited due to pandemic. This has raised barriers to access to information. A recent survey of 60 young deafblind adults resulted in 82% showing signs of depression and reflected signs of emotional abuse, physical abuse and high stress levels.

High levels of trauma in homes and the community and inequality mixed with youth unemployment (40%) influence youth's sense of self-belief, agency, and creativity. It negatively impacts their wellbeing, their behavior, their ability to learn and engage healthily with others. They struggle to become a productive part of the economy increasing instability, negative health outcomes, poverty, crime, and extremism. Trauma is a significant factor for young Kenyans, impacting their mental health.