Humanitarian emergencies — whether precipitated by armed conflict, natural disaster, or sudden mass displacement — inflict profound psychological harm that is frequently overlooked amid urgent physical needs. Loss of loved ones, destruction of homes, exposure to violence, and prolonged uncertainty erode the foundations of wellbeing. While many affected people display resilient reactions in the immediate aftermath, a substantial proportion develop persistent conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other disabling problems that complicate recovery and daily functioning.
Effective responses treat mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) as essential components of humanitarian action, not optional add-ons. Mounting evidence indicates that timely, culturally appropriate psychosocial interventions reduce long-term disability and improve adherence to other health services. Yet multiple barriers impede access: damaged health infrastructure, shortages of trained professionals, stigma, language and cultural mismatches, and the common prioritization of shelter, food, and acute medical needs over longer-term psychosocial recovery.
Operationalizing MHPSS requires integration at every level of the response. Frontline workers should be trained in psychological first aid and basic detection of severe distress, enabling early referral and support. Embedding mental health into primary care clinics and mobile health teams ensures continuity of care for both common and severe disorders. Community-based approaches that restore routine, protect social networks, and empower local leaders are particularly effective: peer support groups, child- and youth-friendly activities, safe communal spaces, and caregiver support initiatives all help to rebuild the social fabric that crises disrupt.
Task-sharing is a pragmatic strategy to expand capacity where specialists are scarce. Trained lay counselors and community health workers can deliver structured, evidence-informed psychosocial interventions under appropriate supervision. Digital solutions — remote counseling, telepsychiatry, and symptom-tracking tools — extend reach in constrained settings but must be adapted for connectivity limitations, privacy concerns, and cultural relevance; technology should complement, not replace, trusted in-person supports.
Continuity of pharmacological treatment must not be neglected; interruptions in essential psychotropic medications can precipitate relapse and acute crises. Logistics planning should explicitly include psychotropic supplies and provide prescribers with guidance suited to austere environments. Monitoring and evaluation systems are needed to measure mental health outcomes, guide adaptive programming, and demonstrate impact across response and recovery phases.
On World Mental Health Day and beyond, the imperative is clear: sustainable progress depends on predictable financing and local capacity building. Donors and humanitarian planners must allocate dedicated funds for MHPSS and prioritize training of local mental health professionals. Inclusion of mental health experts in early planning teams ensures psychosocial considerations shape shelter design, protection strategies, and service delivery from the outset. Policymakers, practitioners, and donors must act now to integrate mental health into humanitarian responses with clear targets, funding, and accountability mechanisms so the invisible wounds of crisis begin to heal. Immediate inclusion of MHPSS with measurable targets and accountability will save lives, reduce suffering, and restore dignity to those living through crisis and sustained recovery.
Assistant Professor at the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences in Tehran, Iran. He earned his Ph.D. in Gerontology with honors in 2017, following his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Rehabilitation Sciences. Dr. Rashedi is an esteemed member of several prestigious organizations, including the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART), and the American Psychological Association (APA). His research primarily focuses on mental health and psychogeriatrics. Since 2019, Dr. Rashedi has been a Senior Collaborator for the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) at the Institute for Health Metrics Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington in the United States.