BEIRUT (AP) — Beirut’s massive explosion in August killed more than 200 people and injured thousands, but it wreaked perhaps even wider damage to mental health among Lebanese. Many of those who lived through it struggle with depression or symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Thunderstorms or the frequent sound of Israeli warplane flyovers cause terror among some, forcing them to relive the blast. The explosion was unique even for conflict-scarred Lebanon, with tens of thousands of people experiencing the same traumatic event. It comes on top of multiple other crises causing stress, including an economic meltdown and the pandemic. Demand for therapists has ballooned even as many are unable to get treatment.
Survivors of Beirut’s explosion endure psychological scars
