by Hoda Sherbeeny & Ola Abdallah
Today’s youth are continuing to make their mark on the world and change it for the better as they advocate for mental health.
Mental illnesses have been a persistent problem in Egypt, despite the subject being taboo in many areas of society. About 25 percent of the population suffers from mental health issues, according to a 2018 survey conducted by the Ministry of Health (Allcock, 2022). Recently, the nation’s Gen Z activists have been working towards normalizing mental illness and treatment.
Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, people were forced to self-isolate for extended periods of time. This has taken a serious toll on mental health, especially in youth. The loneliness one felt due to the circumstances of the pandemic is what initially triggered the mental health issues within the youth (Shaikh et al., 2021).
According to data recorded by UNICEF, the measures put in place by the Egyptian government have actually taken a toll on the social and behavioral development of the nation’s youth. This has led to increased violence and mental health issues (Egyptian Streets, 2020).
However, Gen Z found ways to help deal with this issue by turning to the internet. Despite the fact that you could not see friends face to face, you could still see them online. This proves just how much social media was flourishing at this time. People were desperate to gain contact with those close to them, so they tried all different tactics to reach their friends. Along the way, people also became close to communities within the online world. The amount of time they spent on social media essentially made them find people with similar interests to them.
Friendships may have faced many struggles, but relationships with family members seemed to have grown due to the constant time they would have to spend with one another. Many individuals believed that this closeness made them better acquainted with their family members.
On the other hand, some people completely disagree with this notion as they believe that being with the same individuals all the time can eventually drain them. The overwhelming feelings could eventually surface once you begin noticing common flaws in other people. However, this truly is not a good feeling to have as it can have detrimental effects on one’s mental health.
Nadeen Ashraf, a 20-year-old psychology student at The American University in Cairo, is a strong advocate for mental health.
“One thing I’ve struggled with while growing up is my parents invalidating my feelings. I want to raise my kids in an open environment where they can talk about anything and feel comfortable coming to me with their issues,” she said.
Ashraf added that she feels as though the up-and-coming generation is more informed about mental health than anyone before. As they continue to take over the country, the culture surrounding mental health will slowly change.
Parenting is an extremely important factor when it comes to a person’s mental health and attitude towards mental illnesses.
Therapist Dalia Soliman works with children who have disabilities and stresses the importance of raising children to change perceptions on issues such as mental illness.
“Unlike several decades ago, it is becoming much less taboo to suffer from mental illness. There are more places to seek help including counseling centers, hotlines, and private psychiatrists,” she said.
Soliman explained the issues of youth with mental health issues being misdiagnosed and not receiving proper therapy to address their problems. Gaps in Egypt’s educational system have led to ignorance amongst adults on the severity of mental health problems.
“When parents take the time to educate themselves and their children, they create a healthier environment where children can feel comfortable to reach out for help,” Soliman said.
She added that letting children take the lead when it comes to exploring new ideas is very important for growth. When children are curious or willing to try something new, there is no benefit in keeping information from them, even if the topic is not acceptable everywhere.
Western influences are also contributing to the open-minded ideals of Gen Z in Egypt. They are exposed to so many foreign sources of entertainment and education. As mental health awareness becomes normalized across the world, Egyptian adolescents can grow up with the same ideas. This makes adopting a more Americanized mindset common. However, this is mainly among the upper class in Egypt who have better access to technology. The lower-class community within Egypt does not have such easy access to mental health education and assistance. Instead, individuals of that community are usually misunderstood or ridiculed for having any type of mental disorder that needs treatment.
It is quite clear that there is a negative stigma in Egypt regarding mental health. However, it is also apparent that the norms regarding mental health awareness are slowly changing in Egyptian society as more people become accustomed to its existence.
Works Cited
Allcock, M. (2022, February 9). A Look at Mental Health in Egypt. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/mental-health-in-egypt/
Egyptian Streets. (2020, July 15). Pushing For a Youth-Driven Mental Health Movement in Egypt: EMPWRNG MNDS Conference. Egyptian Streets. https://egyptianstreets.com/2020/07/14/pushing-for-a-youth-driven-mental-health-movement-in-egypt-empowering-minds-conference/
Shaikh, A., Peprah, E., Mohamed, R. H., Asghar, A., Andharia, N. V., Lajot, N. A., & Qureshi, M. F. H. (2021). COVID-19 and mental health: A multi-country study—the effects of lockdown on the mental health of young adults. Middle East Current Psychiatry (Cairo), 28(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43045-021-00116-6
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