The Psychological Toll: The Impact of War on Mental Health

During conflict, we often dwell on the physical destruction: cities reduced to rubble, the loss of lives, the families torn apart. However, another front is invariably overlooked – the emotional toll war takes on people and societies. Often lost in the melee of war, mental health is a frequently neglected casualty, one that silently shapes the emotional and psychological landscapes of those who experience war. The ripple effects of trauma can last far longer than the war itself, affecting generations. Currently, as we witness global conflict, we notice how vital it is to treat the invisible wounds of war.

The Psychological Fallout in Iraq

The Iraq War, which began in 2003, caused immense psychological damage to millions of Iraqis. The invasion then only compounded widespread trauma in a country already suffering the effects of past conflicts and sanctions. To this day, the notion of an ordinary citizen who takes up arms to fight is met with disbelief and astonishment. Bombings led to the disruption of civilian daily lives, as citizens witnessed the destruction of their homes, the deaths of family members, and the collapse of the basic social fabric that once provided a sense of normalcy. Even the youngest children suffered not solely physical pain, but also psychological consequences. Although they seemed to be more or less physically healthy, psychological analysis revealed them to have problems with psychosocial adjustment and control of emotions, anxiety attitudes, and stability.

This relentless instability created a place where fear became constant, causing PTSD, depression, and anxiety to become common among children. Psychological studies have shown that the war deeply affected Iraq’s youth, with "many children developing PTSD and depression due to constant exposure to violence and destruction"​ (Al-Mashat et al., 2006). Growing up amidst violence, they are exposed to images of death and destruction far too often, inadequately shaping their psychological development.

Moreover, like other conflict-ridden areas, Iraq suffers from the stigma surrounding mental health. "The high stigma associated with mental health and psychosocial concerns often prevents Iraqis from seeking services” (Meier, 2020). War-related trauma, left unattended to, later became a social barrier that generated a cycle of unaddressed mental health issues from one generation to another. Parents dealing with their own unprocessed trauma may struggle to provide emotional support for their children, passing on the psychological scars of war.

The Neglected Cost: Mental Health in Times of Conflict

Wars bring about unprecedented mental health risks such as extreme levels of stress, fear, and anxiety. For those in war-torn regions, the psychological effects appear the moment conflict begins and often lasts long after the final gunshots. The daily exposure to violence, apprehension, and bereavement of people inflict dreadful mental wounds. This sense of loss of control over their lives, where normal daily routines are disrupted beyond measure, leaves people trapped in an endless cycle of fear and uncertainty. Simple activities that were taken lightly and for granted in the past like walking to school or going to the market now carry a sense of danger. Parents worry about their children, and communities that were once vibrant and full of life, have become empty and void of energy. Living in such persistent instability robs the human spirit of the feeling of safety and optimism required for every human to thrive. The fact that people feel that they have no control over areas previously equated to daily life, and with the constant stress and fear, create the perfect environment for a number of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and complex trauma. Being repeatedly subjected to these harrowing incidents leads to serious psychological damage, reinforcing existing mental health issues.

This is especially true in the Middle East, where decades long conflicts between Israel and both Lebanon and Gaza have left people with particularly severe emotional scars.

The Psychological Toll in Lebanon and Gaza

Similarly to Iraq, Lebanon has faced severe consequences due to prolonged conflict. The 2006 Lebanon War was the peak of the Israeli-Lebanese conflict and left both immediate as well as long-lasting scars on the Lebanese population. Relentless bombardment, displacement, and the destruction of homes placed Lebanese civilians in a constant state of fear, which deeply affected mental health across all demographics.

In Southern Lebanon, where most of the fighting occurred, the psychological toll remains stark, even years after the war, particularly with children who now bear the burden of trauma. Studies in post-conflict Lebanon have shown that children exposed to the war are more likely to develop PTSD, anxiety disorders, and depression. The psychological aftershocks of this conflict continue to live with the many Southern Lebanese civilians, and the stress from the war never left their hearts, keeping the people on edge, awaiting hostilities to break out.

In reality, the lack of mental health services compounds the problem. Psychological support is limited in rural areas of Lebanon, and many do not attempt to seek help because of the stigma surrounding mental health issues. As a result, war-related trauma often festers, unaddressed, to form a cycle of unresolved grief, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress.

The Human Cost in Gaza

In contrast to Lebanon, Gaza's situation presents unique challenges, as it remains one of the world's most densely populated and war-ravaged regions and has faced repeated military offensives from Israel. The mental health impact on Gazans has been enormous so far. Since 2008, multiple wars and continuous blockades have exposed the population to unimaginable levels of violence, trauma, and loss. Children in Gaza, who make up nearly half of the population, have never known a life free of conflict.

Psychological studies in Gaza paint a harrowing picture, “Constant bombardment and displacement and the loss of family members are predisposing many children to anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other adverse mental health conditions.” (Taha et al., 2024). In addition, the cyclical nature of violence, with periods of extreme conflict followed by nicks of relative calm, makes it so Gazans live in a state of constant hypervigilance. The inability to escape or the impossibility of fleeing from the said territory accentuates this sense of confinement and aggravates mental problems.

Seeing homes destroyed, relatives killed, and lives disrupted, has had long term consequences on families in Gaza. It's an intergenerational trauma, the children that grow up in war torn houses are inheriting the emotional scars of their parents. The ongoing blockade makes it much harder to access mental health services such as hospitals, which are already struggling to treat physical injuries, making psychological care a secondary, "Healthcare workers are forced to operate in conditions where their safety and the safety of their patients are constantly at risk, which not only endangers their physical well-being but also inflicts significant psychological trauma" (Abed Alah, 2024). That and the frequent lack of basic necessities like food, water, and electricity create a normalized situation of trauma.

The Fragile Armor of Resilience

The concept of resilience is often referred to as being able to 'bounce back' from adversity, and it is frequently discussed when it comes to mental health in war zones. But resilience is a fragile armor, bound to break under relentless conflict. While some can come out of these experiences stronger, others may never pull through. It is the difference between each person’s coping strategies and what support services are available to them that determines how well they are able to face adversity.

In Lebanon and Gaza, strong social and familial ties, religious faith and cultural traditions represent important buffers against the psychological effects of war. But how long can these pillars of support last before they start to erode? As families are displaced, communities are separated and social structures that once bound society together are fractured, the sense of belonging that provided comfort and stability begins to fade. This breakdown exacerbates feelings of isolation, a major risk factor for worsening mental health.

Intergenerational Trauma: A Lingering Legacy

In protracted wars such as those in Gaza and Lebanon, emotional and psychological wounds from conflict can pass from one generation to the next. Children grow up in households shaped by war, where parents may be too preoccupied with their own psychological wounds to provide emotional support. This phenomenon, called intergenerational trauma, leaves an imprint on children’s mental health that lasts a lifetime and perpetuates a cycle of trauma.

Conclusion: Beyond the Battlefield

The physical destruction caused by war is still ravaging the world as we continue to witness its devastating impact. However, it’s just as important to acknowledge that the psychological impact often outlasts the conflict. Addressing these consequences requires a holistic approach, that is to say, prioritizing mental health care as an integral part of humanitarian aid. The Israeli Palestinian, Israeli Lebanese, and Israeli Gaza conflicts bring forward the need for the availability of mental health services to enable people and communities to recover from trauma.

Wars may come to an end, but the emotional and psychological scars stick around, so working on healing these wounds will be vital to rebuilding civilian lives and creating lasting peace. With the collective effort to prioritize mental health, end the stigma, and nurture resilience, we can ensure that the psychological scars of war do not define the generations to come. Therefore, international organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) need to assume a role in offering mental health support by collaborating with local governments. Integrating mental health services into recovery plans is essential to help restore and reconstruct these resilient communities.

References

Abed Alah, M. (2024). Echoes of conflict: The enduring mental health struggle of gaza’s Healthcare Workers. Conflict and Health, 18(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-024-00577-6

Al-Mashat, K., Amundson, N. E., Buchanan, M., & Westwood, M. (2006). Iraqi Children’s War Experiences: The Psychological Impact of “Operation Iraqi Freedom.” International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 28(2), 195–211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-006-9016-3

Meier, J. (2020, July 27). Mental health and psychosocial support in Iraq: Challenges and solutions. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. https://gjia.georgetown.edu/2020/07/27/mental-health-and-psychosocial-support-in-iraq-challenges-and-solutions/

Taha, A. M., Sabet, C., Nada, S. A., Abuzerr, S., & Nguyen, D. (2024, April). Addressing the mental health crisis among children in Gaza. The Lancet Psychiatry. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(24)00036-1/fulltext