Unmasking Mental Illness in Beirut

Something extraordinary happened Tuesday in Beirut. For the first time ever in Lebanon -- and possibly the Middle East -- several young people living with mental illness came forward before an audience of hundreds to tell their stories and raise awareness about mental illness. In a culture where mental illness is treated with silence and shame, these young trailblazers bravely shared their struggles and healing journeys to open minds and save lives. It was nothing short of revolutionary. My inspiration for spearheading this new mental health initiative came from an unexpected source. While preparing to teach a workshop on physical disability in Lebanon, I asked my host if I should discuss mental illness too. "In Lebanon," he said, "we don't see mental illness as a disability, and we never talk about in public because it brings shame." As a mental health advocate and disability activist for over a decade, his words got me thinking about the lack of mental health advocacy and discourse in Lebanon. Since I had helped to direct a mental health awareness program for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) while a student at Brown, I began to wonder if a similar program of empowerment might work in Beirut. I knew I couldn't do it alone -- so I consulted former students of mine, like Hrag Vosgerichian, who graduated from the American University of Beirut to see if they would be interested in raising awareness about mental health in Lebanon too. With passion and vi...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news