Somalia has been described as having one of the world's highest rates of mental illness, with one in three Somalis meeting the diagnostic threshold for some form of mental illness.[1] This has been attributed to the ongoing Somali Civil War, political instability, and natural disasters.[1] Despite the high prevalence of mental illness among the Somali population, mental health services are almost non-existent in Somalia.[2]
Mental health services and treatment edit
Colonial period edit
During the colonial period, several psychiatric facilities were built.[1]
Contemporary edit
In recent history, mental health services have consistently been neglected by government-run healthcare facilities. The Somali government spends less than 1% of its health budget on mental health services.[1] There are currently 0.5 psychiatric beds for every 100,000 people in Somalia's hospitals.[1]
Views on mental illness edit
In Somalia, mental illness is often attributed to causes such as spirit possession, witchcraft and evil eye. As a result, treatment may include exorcism and reciting verses from the Quran.[1]
Individuals with serious mental health problems are often kept in chains.[3]
Suicide and self-harm edit
Despite having one of the highest rates of mental illness in the world, Somalia's suicide rate is lower than the global average.[1] It has been found that suicide and self-harm are more prevalent among Somali males than females.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h Ibrahim, M.; Rizwan, H.; Afzal, M.; Malik, Mamunur Rahman (2022-02-09). "Mental health crisis in Somalia: a review and a way forward". International Journal of Mental Health Systems. 16 (1): 12. doi:10.1186/s13033-022-00525-y. ISSN 1752-4458. PMC 8827242. PMID 35139873.
- ^ Ibrahim, Mohamed; Malik, Mamunur Rahman; Noor, Zeynab (2022). "Investing in mental health in Somalia: harnessing community mental health services through task shifting". Global Mental Health. 9: 94–98. doi:10.1017/gmh.2022.4. ISSN 2054-4251. PMC 9807009. PMID 36618719.
- ^ Bader, Laetitia (2015-10-25). ""Chained Like Prisoners"". Human Rights Watch.