“The idea that people share mental health issues for ‘attention’ is poison. People die in silence every day. That attention can save lives.” -Matt Haig
Today, Tunisia is one of the leading countries in Africa when it comes to advanced health care systems. Overall, the health care system in Tunisia ranks as the 52nd best in the world, as well as the second-best in Africa, following behind Morocco (World Health Organization, 2014). Yet despite its advanced health care system, there still exists a large gap regarding the quality and accessibility to mental health care more specifically.
Against the current backdrop of modern-day Tunisia, by writing this article I hope to engage Tunisia’s young adults in proactively addressing their mental health needs. Society and the government need to understand the mental health needs of young Tunisians and create a space for them to become their own advocates of health.
We are in 2019, and our country owns only 14 psychiatric facilities. The government has no money to secure these facilities or provide patients neither with the medical equipment needed neither for their treatment nor with skilled doctors to treat them. Money is precious, we all know that, but so is the mental well-being of citizens.
A person suffering from mental illness can be a danger to himself and to others.
Depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $ 1,000 billion a year, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), published in 2017 based on figures from 2015. The situation is getting worse because according to the WHO, depression should in 2020 become, the leading cause of morbidity in women and the second in men (after cardiovascular diseases). The increase of cigarettes, alcohol, and substance abuse like sedatives and anti-depressants, and other drugs along with the rise in suicide rates are just a few examples that depict the unsatisfying living conditions that young Tunisian adults are currently experiencing. If the government doesn’t take it seriously, the matter will only get worse. We need to make changes and improvements before 2020 or else it’s going to be far too late to fix anything worth fixing.
Tunisia, our beloved country ranks 2nd in the suicide rate in the Maghreb, with 5.5 cases of suicide per 100 inhabitants. For the month of January 2018, 72 cases of suicide and attempts of suicide were registered, a few numbers less than the year before (In January 2017 there were 79 cases registered). 33 cases were in Sidi Bouzid, followed by El Kef and Bizerte.
Sigma Conseil’s Statistics show that 70 % of young adults between the ages of 18 to 35 years have experienced excessive post-revolution stress. 8 % of the population aged lower than 15 years old, 13 % between 16 and 25 years old, died of suicide or attempted it. Just a week ago, an 18-year-old high school student who was a bachelor’s candidate ( bac) killed herself by hanging in her family home. Little is known of the girl, except that she “was feeling bad lately” due to family conflict (with the investigation still going).
Mental Health Disorders can affect classroom learning and social interactions, both of which are critical to the success of students. You see consequences of unaddressed issues or the problems that continually plague schools are prolonged absences, underachievement, constant disruptions and acting out, and perhaps also most critically dropouts.
However, if appropriate services are put in place to support young people’s mental health needs we can often maximize success and minimize negative impacts for students. You see the family environment has a big role and impact on a child’s personality and well-being. But we also have school coming second as the learning institution. It is designed for students to learn, grow and thrive in their lives. But sadly, most students in need of treatment and other forms of assistance never receive it. Schools and administrators are too overburdened and lack resources.
Mental health and behavioral health for that matter are taboo issues here as our society doesn’t really acknowledge mental illness as a real issue. Even in 2019, mental illness is still often taken casually and not even considered a serious problem. From callously using words like ‘mahboul’ to asking people to ‘ija nhezek l manouba’, we’re all forever treating those suffering from a mental disorder rather insensitively. The emotional well-being of children is just as important as their physical health. You see, good mental health allows children and young people to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them of hardships and grow into strong-minded, healthy adults.
There are certain risk factors that make some children and young people more likely to experience problems than other children, but they don’t necessarily mean difficulties are bound to come up or are even probable. Some of these factors include having a long-term physical illness, having a parent who has had mental health problems, problems with alcohol or have been in trouble with the law, experiencing the death of someone close to them, having parents who separate or divorce, having been severely bullied or physically or sexually abused, living in poverty or being homeless, experiencing discrimination, perhaps because of their race, sexuality or religion, caring for a relative, taking on adult responsibilities, having long-standing educational difficulties.
That’s why every school needs to have a guidance counselor whose primary role is to help students going through hardships and provide the necessary support and aid needed. The government needs to start recruiting skilled counselors for the job and not just anyone because dealing with youth is not an easy job nor should it be taken lightly. It demands qualified people and the constant evaluation of the student's needs. Some of them are in desperate need of help. They are the leaders of tomorrow, the future of our country’s success. Our generation lives in a society ruled by social media and an obsession with perfection where mental illness is frowned upon and ignored, viewed as attention-seeking and not as a real issue.
We have to stop this stereotype; we have to end the stigma and cycle of shame. Let’s make talking about and treating mental illness easier; let’s make each other feel safe and heard. Let’s listen and exchange kindness.
LET’S SAVE EACH OTHER. LET’S SAVE THIS GENERATION.
“Happiness is contagious.The Tunisian youth is a gift given to the whole world,to an old planet amnesic and grumpy that can wake up forgetting his osteoarthritis!“ -Olivier Bouvet, a frensh journalist.
*Dear reader, Here are some TEDx talks that I found very touching and helpful in treating mental health. I hope I made an impact strong enough on you to make you react and take a stand.*
And remember to be mindful.
Article for Generation Transition.
