On Sunday, official sources stated that Haiti is currently suffering from a shortage of experts in the field of mental health, a problem that will make it impossible to meet the needs of a population under great pressure.
RELATED:
Haiti: WFP Temporarily Suspends Work in Hazardous Areas
"There are approximately 300 mental health professionals, some 200 psychologists, some 30 psychiatrists and more than 50 nurses and assistants in public and private care centers," said the specialist, Ronald Jean-Jacques.
The Mars and Kline psychiatric hospital in Port-au-Prince has about 60 beds, while the Beudet hospital in Croix-des-Bouquets has 140, Jean-Jacques said.
The newspaper Le Nouvelliste referred to a survey which showed that the people interviewed asked for psychological support, arguing that "the pressure was too much for them, and they felt they were going crazy.
Depression, feelings of failure and the inability to plan for the future triggered suicidal thoughts in Haiti.
The tweet reads, "Ronald Jean-Jacques points out that people report having suicidal thoughts because of the insecurity that mortgages their future, and that previous statistics show that Haiti has always had a low suicide rate."
The tweet reads, "Despair is gaining ground in Haiti. Psychologist Ronald Jean-Jacques says the number of calls received on the 29199000 line rose to a thousand a day during November and December 2023. "12% of those concerned have suicidal thoughts."
"We have to be alarmed that in our resilient Haitian society so many people are calling a helpline to talk about suicide!" declared Jean-Jacques to the newspaper.
It is undoubtedly a symptom of malaise, of a rather high level of despair, which generates this high rate of suicidal ideation among the population, but people who know someone with these thoughts should show them affection and compassion, the psychologist recommended.
A subject with the idea of leaving this world should not feel alone in the face of all these difficulties, even when he is in the company of other attacked, failed or desperate citizens, one cannot let them experience being adrift, with nothing to motivate him to live.
"They will find with others the comfort and support to go on," Jean-Jacques sentenced.