The suicide of a man who threw himself off the fourth floor of a building in central Damascus barely made a blip in the news.
Another report spoke of the suicide of an official in Jable city. He was found dead from a gunshot to the mouth.
News of suicides in war-weary Syria have become a regular fixture even though this is a new phenomenon in society.
Suicides have increased dramatically in the country in recent years.
The above-mentioned cases took place in regime-held regions. They bring to 93 the number of suicides in regime areas since the beginning of 2022 and as of June. Of these figures, 69 are male.
Aleppo has witnessed the greatest number of suicides with 25, followed by the Damascus countryside with 19, and Tartus with 12.
The year 2021 witnessed 166 suicides, 2020 witnessed 197 suicides, and 2019 witnessed 124.
Thirty-one cases of suicide have been reported in opposition-held regions since the beginning of the year. They include 11 youths, 11 women and nine men.
Psychological problems, such depression and bipolar disorder, are seen as the main reasons that push people to suicide. Other problems include drug addiction.
The problems and disorders have spiked in Syria due to the conflict that erupted in 2011. They are caused by extreme terror and sadness, loss of a sense of security and social support, fragmentation of family bonds, difficult living conditions and the lack of the most basic living conditions.
Compounding the situation is the lack of necessary psychological treatment due to a shortage of qualified doctors and specialists prompted by the war and immigration.
Only 70 psychologists work at clinics and only two psychiatric hospitals are operational in the country. One is working in Damascus and covers seven provinces. The other is located in Aleppo.
One dedicated specialized psychiatric hospital was operational in the Damascus countryside but went out of service during the war.
The two functional facilities are only receiving severe cases, numbered at around 20 to 30 per day.
Furthermore, Syria’s dire economic crisis has made receiving treatment very costly, with an appointment setting back a patient 50,000 pounds, and scarce medication, if available, also comes at a steep price.
