20% of Jordanians suffer from depression, anxiety — National Centre for Mental Health

AMMAN — Twenty per cent of Jordanians suffer from depression and psychological anxiety, Hospital Director at the National Centre for Mental Health Khaled Al Hadidi revealed in a recent statement.

Over the past year, the centre has seen over 23,000 patients, Hadidi said.

Of the patients who visited the centre, 2,481 patients were admitted for treatment due to a medical relapse.

The centre’s drug rehabilitation department saw 4,506 patients in 2022, both within the inpatient portion of the department which houses 46 beds, as well as the outpatient psychiatry department, which contains five clinics. 

The Ministry of Health provides psychiatric services through 52 clinics distributed among public hospitals, comprehensive health centres, family protection departments, reform and rehabilitation centres, as well as in outpatient clinics spread across all governorates of the Kingdom.

Hadidi affirmed that Jordanians who hold national identification numbers bear no costs when receiving treatment at the centre. The director also confirmed that psychiatric medications are available through the Ministry of Health throughout the year.

Despite the concerning statistic, Hadidi confirmed that the figure is consistent with annual mental illness statistics worldwide. The global average of cases of psychological depression and psychological anxiety in all forms ranges between 15-20 per cent per year, he said.

Commenting on the results, economist Husam Ayesh told The Jordan Times on Wednesday that climate change and its associated economic and health impacts are contributing to psychological distress and anxiety. 

“The deficit between family income and spending, the decrease in the average per capita income and the increasing costs on families do not give reassurance,” he said.

He noted that 48 per cent of young people in Jordan are considering emigration for economic, environmental or political reasons. 

“Regardless of the reason, there is no doubt that they are pushed by anxiety and fear of the future,” Ayesh said.