Venezuela is a country located in northern South America. It is currently facing significant social challenges despite its natural beauty and cultural heritage which was previously known to attract many tourists. Due to mass emigration onset as a result of economic collapse and political instability Venezuela is currently battling a humanitarian crisis. This political and economic instability was caused by and continues because of the authoritarian and socialist governments managing the country today. The hardships explained are woven into the country’s societal fabric and undoubtedly impact people’s daily lives. One particular repercussion of this difficult environment being the decline of the Venezuelan people’s mental health. More specifically the increase of anxiety and depression disorders.
In a review published under the Bull World Health Organization it is explained that anxiety and depression levels have increased (Doocy et al., 2022). So much so that this crisis has surpassed the mental health service capacity within the country, leaving many people to deal with these issues on their own while also battling the struggles of day to day life (Doocy et al., 2022). A report performed by PAHO, the Pan American Health Organization, on Venezuela’s mental health crisis found that, “(anxiety, depression, self-harm and somatic symptom disorder) account for 42%” of the mental health burden within the country ((Mental Health Country Profile – Venezuela – PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization, 2020) which shows the extent to which depression and anxiety are affecting the population. This could again be due to the stress that living in a socially unstable country ensues, as well as the fact that the mental health service capacity has already been reached.
Due to the economic instability it is difficult to get help in Venezuela as people are often working, taking care of their family, and more just to get through the week. This explains the high levels of anxiety and depression experienced. The concept of mental health is often overlooked in Latin American countries as well, which decreases the chances of people reaching out to mental health professionals or overall taking care of their mental health. Despite this, there are resources available online that can help educate people struggling with anxiety and depression about regulation techniques and how to build habits that allow them to improve their daily lives.
An example of an online resource is mentalh2o.org, where this article is published. It is important to note that the articles in Mental H2o are available in English and Spanish… (Click the button on the bottom right screen to change languages). There are a multitude of articles on anxiety and depression outlining specific techniques that can be utilized daily to help cope with the stress these mental issues bring. An alternative to this resource is simply searching for youtube videos on coping strategies regarding these issues and implementing them. This could also be helpful in minimizing symptoms and improving a person’s day-to-day life.
Written By: Carmela Gonzalez, Mental H2O Youth Resource Writer
References
Doocy, S., Page, K. R., Liu, C., Hoaglund, H., & Rodríguez, D. C. (2022). Venezuela: out of the headlines but still in crisis. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 100(8), 466–466A. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.22.288269
Mental Health Country Profile – Venezuela – PAHO/WHO | Pan American Health Organization. (2020, September 16). Www.paho.org. https://www.paho.org/en/documents/mental-health-country-profile-venezuela
