Chronic diseases and mental health
Can you imagine that you have to flee, and you are in need of insulin because you have diabetes? Or you can’t buy the medicines that you use to treat your anxiety and depression, and the situation creates even more fear? When conflict, disaster or displacement leaves patients cut off from their care, life can quickly become life-threatening.
What are chronic diseases?
Chronic diseases or non-communicable diseases are long-term illnesses. Many of them stay with people for life. They require ongoing medical attention.
Common chronic diseases are:
- hypertension;
- heart diseases;
- diabetes;
- lung diseases (like chronic bronchitis and asthma).
Chronic diseases are the most common cause of death worldwide: each year, 45 million people die because of them.
Why we focus on chronic diseases and mental health
Chronic diseases and mental health problems create a lot of suffering, disabilities and deaths. After a disaster, more than half of the people suffer from mental health problems, like anxiety, depression or PTSS. Globally, chronic diseases contribute to 74% of all deaths. However, it only receives 1% of the health funding in the countries we work.
The number of chronic diseases is growing. Also, in low- and middle-income countries, an increasing number of people die from chronic diseases. Every year, 17 million people die before the age of 70, 86% of whom live in low- and middle-income countries.
Chronic diseases and mental health: a vicious circle
- Chronic diseases and mental health conditions often occur together, also since chronic diseases can cause or worsen mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
- People with chronic diseases have more difficulties coping with their disease and adhering to their treatment if they also have mental health problems.
- People with mental health problems commonly live a less healthy life and expose themselves to more risk factors (like alcohol, drugs, tobacco, unhealthy diet) that are leading to chronic diseases.
- If people are mentally healthy, they will be better able to cope with stress due to the humanitarian crisis and manage their own life in a better way.
“My life changed completely in just a few weeks”
Hauwa Buba fled in 2016 with her husband and children after Boko Haram attacked her village. They felt unsafe and left for Maiduguri, a city in Nigeria, where they found shelter. Since then, Hauwa was constantly worried, had severe headaches and could not sleep.
One day a nurse asked her questions about her mood. She was referred to a counsellor. “In the beginning I just had to cry,” says Hauwa. But then, after every session, she felt so much better and learned how to solve her mental problems herself.
After six weeks, she was feeling so good and strong that there was no need for a follow-up session. Additionally, she could even help others with a similar condition and convince them to go to the clinic.