{ "title": "MSF marks World Mental Health Day, 10th Oct, with stories from projects in South Sudan, Lebanon and Greece", "modified_at": "2026-10-08 17:13:10", "published_at": "2026-10-08 14:51:00", "url": "https://prezly.msf.org.uk/msf-south-sudan-from-patient-to-advocate-a-testimony-on-mental-wellbeing", "short_url": "http://prez.ly/Hrie", "culture": "en", "language": "EN", "slug": "msf-south-sudan-from-patient-to-advocate-a-testimony-on-mental-wellbeing", "body": "\n \n
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A health promotion and mental awareness session in the Gomgoi displaced camp, Twic County, South Sudan (copyright: MSF/Florence Dozol)
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South Sudan: From patient to advocate - a testimony on mental wellbeing

08 October 2026 - This year's World Mental Health Day, on 10 October, has the theme "Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change." Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has invited people connected to their communities to share short reflections on mental health and wellbeing.

Mading, a 42-year-old man living in Twic County, Warrap State, South Sudan, is one of them. Mading began psychiatric treatment with our team in Mayen Abun in June 2024 and continued until August 2026, when clinicians observed recovery and took him off medication. \u200b

A person who has lived through a mental health condition carries something special: the knowledge of what it is like to be on the other side of stigma. When that person speaks within their own community, they can have an impact that clinicians may not be able to accomplish. They make their needs easier to understand. They show that recovery is possible and, in doing so, help loosen the fear and distance that stigma creates around people struggling with their mental health. \u200b

That shift from patient to advocate matters for the person who has survived trauma, helping them find a role and a sense of belonging again. It matters for the community, which learns from someone it already knows and trusts. It also matters for MSF: our response is built with communities rather than simply delivered to them, with the people we treat at the centre of our work. \u200b

Mading still comes to the clinic every month for a check-up and has never missed an appointment. He wanted to share what he has been through so that others might learn from his experience:

"Someone who is mentally unwell is often seen as a drunkard or a useless person. I was sick for nine years, and in that time I destroyed a lot of things. I injured my younger sister. I had a child and never even thought about her. Now I understand how vital mental health is — for me, for my family and for the community.

What made it easier for me was not only the medication, but the people who cared for me while I was sick: the counsellors, my family and myself. It also helped that there was somewhere to go at all. Facilities that treat these illnesses are very rare here. What makes it harder is the stigma from others and certain cultural practices.

Social integration and my family helped me, especially my cousin, who never gave up on me. He checked on my condition, my medication, and my diet. That played a major role in my recovery.

To those who are on treatment: stick to what you have been advised, and do not copy one another. And one more thing. I was once a teacher, and I taught some of the nurses I now meet in this hospital, back when I was teaching in primary and high school. Now that I am of sound mind, I feel proud that I contributed something to my own treatment because I helped educate a future doctor who later saved me."

In Twic County, MSF runs mental health activities as part of comprehensive care in collaboration with the Ministry of Health at Mayen Abun Hospital, alongside community awareness work at our integrated community case management (ICCM) sites in the camps for internally displaced people. Counsellors and community health workers hold awareness sessions in the camps themselves, often under a tree with 50 or more people gathered, bringing support closer to where people live rather than waiting for them to reach a facility. Three out of four patients seeking mental health support have endured intercommunal violence or gender-based violence. \u200b

Since the start of 2026, MSF has been supporting mental health services in different areas in the country such as Mayen Abun, Abyei, Bentiu, Pieri, Leer, Chuil, Malakal, Yei, Kajo-Keji, and Renk. Despite the many challenges of life in South Sudan, Mading's story shows that with the proper support, mental health challenges can be overcome.

 

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MSF Lebanon: Behind the call - the psychological toll of war in Lebanon

For people in southern Lebanon, the war has not ended with the announcement of yet another so-called ceasefire. Fear, uncertainty and daily Israeli attacks continue to endanger people and weigh heavily on their mental health.

Leaving home means losing routines, livelihoods and a sense of stability, while the possibility of having to flee again remains a constant concern. Even with the announcement of yet another so-called ceasefire, Israeli attacks and demolitions in southern Lebanon continue, and the fear of what might happen next hangs in the air, almost as persistent as the buzz of Israeli drones overhead.

“I wasn’t sure if I was affected by the war, until people around me started to notice my anger, my irritability and suggested that I should get help,” said Lara*, a 33-year-old mother from Saida. She described the challenge of dealing with her own distress while parenting, “How do I keep on working on myself while taking care of my children?”

When active shelling, destroyed infrastructure, displacement, and road hazards made travelling to physical clinics difficult, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) brought mental healthcare directly to people through a remote support service. Free tele-mental health proved that safety and psychological continuity can be a priority even when all facets of normal life come under fire. \u200b

For people who remain in areas affected by Israeli bombardment, there may be little space to process what they are experiencing while the threat itself continues. Ali*, a 37-year-old man from Arzay, in the Tyre district, stayed in his village because his family had nowhere else to go. During a psychological support session with MSF, he said he was tired of hearing the bombing when the sound of a low-flying Israeli aircraft interrupted his train of thoughts. \u200b “There are warcrafts. I have to hang up. I’m packing my bag.” He ended the call to prepare to leave.

“What we are seeing is that people are not only dealing with what is happening to them, but with the uncertainty of what might happen next,” said Yara Kassar, MSF mental health supervisor in southern Lebanon. “For people who have been displaced or remain in areas affected by attacks, there is often no real opportunity to feel safe, settle down and process what they have experienced. This has a profound impact on their mental health.”

Amin*, 33, was displaced from Beirut and described his resignation during a psychological support session with MSF psychologist over the phone. “I keep telling myself everything will be okay, but I don’t believe my own words anymore. Every night I wait for the next sound that will make us run again. I wish I could shut down my negative thinking.”

Finding support when care is difficult to reach

With the 2 March escalation, Israeli bombardment raged across Lebanon, and displacement, insecurity, damaged infrastructure, financial hardship and unsafe roads all made accessing healthcare a daily challenge. People often prioritised the immediate needs of their families over their own mental health.

In response, MSF launched an emergency response across the country. Integrated into the response was a free and confidential mental health helpline, providing remote psychological support to people experiencing distress because of the war. It complements the broader response, which includes mobile medical and mental health teams, as well as face-to-face provision of care.

Since 2 March, the helpline has received 580 calls and provided psychological support to 421 individuals, alongside social support and referrals for specialised care.

“Through the helpline, we are able to provide compassionate listening and support, whether for mental health concerns, social needs, or referral to specialised services,” said Yara. “But a phone call cannot restore a destroyed home, end displacement or make an unsafe area secure. What it can do is provide a point of contact for people trying to cope with what they are experiencing.”

For those living through continued Israeli attacks and demolitions, mental health is not separate from the wider humanitarian crisis. It is a fundamental part of it. Mental health support in times of war is not optional. It is lifesaving emergency healthcare. \u200b

As needs evolve on the ground, MSF continues to adapt its response, remaining physically present through mobile clinics and hospital interventions, while also reaching people remotely through its mental health helpline. Because when the effects of war extend beyond what can be seen, care must reach people wherever they are.

*name changed to protect identity

Testimony of Mira Badr, MSF Mental health helpline focal point:

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MSF Greece: Seeking safety, trapped in uncertainty

‘I have been running away all my life. I have already experienced so much trauma, and I don’t know if I can handle or face another struggle. I’m sick of this life." Samuel, from Eritrea, September 2026. *

For a person seeking safety, these words capture the weight of an uncertain and a retraumatising reality, and an unimaginable future. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated experience. For over 10 years MSF psychologists in Greece have been supporting numerous \u200b \u200b people experiencing profound feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, fear and despair. Many of our patients have faced traumatic events - including torture, imprisonment and the loss of loved ones - and undergone a dangerous journey to escape war, conflict, and persecution, only to see their physical and psychological health further deteriorate because of the restrictive EU migration policies of deterrence and containment. \u200b

"Many people arrive in Greece already emotionally and physically exhausted from the exposure to unsafe conditions they faced in their country of origin and during the journey." says Anzhelika Iastremska, MSF psychologist in Lesvos. "For many, arrival is associated with the expectation of finally reaching safety and stability. However, barriers in accessing healthcare, opaque asylum procedures and poor living conditions may contribute to ongoing psychological distress and feelings of hopelessness. "

When the system deepens the trauma

Restrictive policies, deterrence measures, barriers on accessing healthcare, precarious living conditions, and complex asylum procedures can contribute to a cycle of trauma, creating an environment of a perpetual uncertainty that severely degrades mental health and leave individuals in deep psychological distress. \u200b

For many of our patients, living isolated in remote prison-like reception facilities, with high barbed wire fences, fragmented access to healthcare, restricted movement, and inadequate living conditions, can significantly affect their psychological and emotional well-being. \u200b

"The environment of the reception facility often functions as a constant traumatic reminder for survivors of detention, violence, or persecution" underlines Georgia Kotitsa, MSF psychologist in Lesvos. "Many patients describe feeling trapped, unsafe, and deprived of autonomy. For some individuals, for example those who have survived imprisonment or torture, the restrictive conditions, constant surveillance, and lack of privacy within the reception facilities trigger intense retraumatisation. " \u200b

Moreover, complex and fast-track asylum procedures offer limited time to secure individualised counseling and legal assistance, and patients report difficulties in understanding and navigating the process, severely worsening their mental health, preventing them from finding any sense of stability. People live in a state of limbo, overstressed, being transferred from one facility or one city to another, through opaque asylum processes, with little information about what will happen next. \u200b Many live with the fear of rejection and deportation while struggling to access healthcare, understand their rights and what the future holds, in an increasingly restrictive environment. \u200b \u200b

“Reaching Athens is not the end of their journey for many patients but the beginning of a different struggle. They need to navigate unfamiliar systems in a huge city, language barriers, precarious employment, insecure housing, and the uncertainty of what comes next." underlines Katerina Kavakou, MSF psychologist in Athens

Barriers to accessing healthcare

Since January 2026, MSF psychologists have already conducted over 900 mental health consultations on the islands of Lesvos and Samos. One of the main gaps they encountered in daily operations concerns accessibility and continuity of mental healthcare. Their observations and patient reports suggest that the current healthcare system fails to provide sustained psychological and psychiatric support that people seeking safety in Greece urgently need, leaving them stuck in cycles of uncertainty and distress. Services and interpretation are often limited, especially when it comes to trauma-informed care and support, that takes each person's individual needs and experiences into consideration. At the same time, follow-up consultations are often inconsistent, which can result in missed appointments and interruptions in treatment.

MSF teams have documented a wide range of consequences over the years. Many of our patients describe signs of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic stress, sleep disorders, excessive worry and suicidal thoughts. \u200b \u200b

Dreams out of reach

"I meet people who want to work, go to university, and continue their dreams. But the lack of support deprives them of the ability to build a new life and creates a devastating sense of despair and hopelessness," says Nikolina Kazaki, MSF psychologist in Samos. \u200b

For over 10 years, MSF has provided psychological support to refugees, asylum seekers, and people in vulnerable situations in Greece, with a focus on survivors of violence. Our teams offer a safe and inclusive space, where people can be heard and supported through a multidisciplinary and holistic approach that goes beyond medical and psychological care working closely with social workers to also address broader social and practical challenges. \u200b However, these efforts seem like a drop in the ocean when compared with the complexity of the needs and the significant gap between the level of support currently available and the realities faced by many refugees and asylum seekers. \u200b

"People need more comprehensive support systems, with better integration programmes and uninterrupted access to healthcare”, underlines Nikolina. “When you’re struggling to find a safe place to live, access healthcare, earn a living, or simply feel secure, the constant pressure can become unbearable, leaving you feeling trapped, exhausted, and hopeless. " \u200b

Moving forward against the odds

Despite the perilous journey, the uncertainty and the numerous barriers, refugees and asylum seekers continue to move forward, adapt to new realities, care for their families, and look for ways to rebuild their lives. \u200b "We meet people that are parents, students, friends, community members, workers, with dreams and hopes.” says Katerina Kavakou, MSF psychologist in Athens. \u200b

Improving access to physical and mental health and social services, alongside better living conditions and dignified reception, are critical changes MSF calls for. \u200b \u200b At the same time, clearer, more informed procedures are necessary to reduce uncertainty, facilitate integration, and support people in this demanding journey to rebuild a sense of safety and stability.

* Name changed to protect identity.

 

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