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Ten months into the war, Lebanese youths are fighting a new battle — one for their mental and emotional well-being. Their sentiments are varied, ranging from fear, to hope, to dissociation. On International Youth Day, This is Beirut explores how four young Lebanese from diverse backgrounds navigate their emotions amid rising tensions.
Fear grips the streets of Beirut as a distant boom rattles through the air, triggering a wave of unease among the city’s inhabitants. Anxious faces scan mobile screens, awaiting updates, questioning if this latest disturbance marks a direct hit on the capital or if it is a mere sonic boom.
The evolving war strategies between Israel and Hezbollah have cast a shadow over the mental well-being of the Lebanese populace in unprecedented ways. While seasoned individuals, shaped by the scars of past conflicts, find a grim sense of normalcy in these turbulent times, the youth of Lebanon view the situation through a different lens.
Photo Credit: AFP
A World Apart
For some youths living outside the area of conflict, the war feels like a distant occurrence. “The war feels distant because it’s happening in the South,” says Tamer, a 17-year-old high school senior residing in Beirut. “I wouldn’t say I’m scared or nervous; I try not to think about the war.”
For some youths sheltered from the immediate throes of conflict, the war feels distant, almost abstract. Tamer reflects on this dissociation, admitting that while the conflict remains at arm’s length, the looming uncertainty can still disrupt the rhythm of daily life.
However, Tamer’s concern manifests differently: “We do get a bit worried, especially when the conflict starts to get closer, as it might disrupt our plans, like with school and other activities.”
For others, sonic booms serve as a traumatic reminder of a past tragedy: the August 4 port explosion.
“This psychological warfare triggers my trauma from August 4. I can’t tolerate loud noises anymore. Even minor sounds, like a passing truck, startle me,” explains Jane, a 20-year-old student from Hamra. “This is why I can’t live in Lebanon anymore.”
Photo Credit: AFP
Jane’s family left Lebanon after the Beirut port explosion for greater security. She admits that her PTSD and panic attacks are heightened during her visits to Lebanon: “I think about the explosion daily and replay that sound in my head. It has deeply traumatized me.”
A War Close at Hand
For those living in the South, the war is an immediate and overwhelming reality. “Our situation is terrifying, and we are forced to relocate to areas to find necessities,” says Ahmad, 14, a student at Marjaayoun National College.
“I feel depressed because of the situation. There’s this constant pressure to protect my loved ones and a fear of losing them, and it is damaging my mental health,” he added.
Amidst the chaos, some like Adam have adopted a veneer of dissociation, a coping mechanism born from familiarity with adversity.
Furthermore, the war has disrupted the educational experience for students in the South. “We couldn’t attend school, so we had to switch to online learning and did not complete the full curriculum,” noted Ahmad, “Also, we faced issues with the internet after our generator was bombed.”
Photo Credit: AFP
Despite the dire situation, Ahmad still has hope: “I hope and pray for peace in Lebanon and for everything to return to normal. I miss my Lebanon.”
War’s Toll on Mental Health
Dr. Maya Bou Khalil, a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst, explained to This is Beirut the impact of sonic booms on the youth: “For those suffering from PTSD, such noises can exacerbate symptoms like intrusive thoughts, emotional numbness, and concentration difficulties. These unpredictable sounds can undermine feelings of safety even in previously secure environments, leading to vulnerability and helplessness.”
Dr. Bou Khalil also notes that stress and anxiety from these noises can alter behavior, making youth more withdrawn or aggressive.
Another common psychological mechanism among Lebanese youth is “splitting.” During splitting, situations are perceived in a stark dichotomy of good or bad.
“Splitting can be an effective defense mechanism to a certain degree, preventing a total breakdown,” added Dr. Bou Khalil. “However, if these mechanisms fail, they can lead to significant psychological distress and the fragmentation of an individual’s sense of self and relationships.”
A Legacy of War
As the specter of war looms large over Lebanon, a generational divide emerges, with youths grappling with conflicting impulses of engagement and avoidance.
Dr. Nasri Messarra, head of the Department of Sociology at Saint Joseph University of Beirut, attributes this phenomenon to a lack of education about war, leaving youths unprepared for its harsh realities.
“The older generation either pushes its youth to wage wars or avoids discussing war altogether to shield their children from trauma, leading to a dangerous detachment from its true horrors—destruction, famine, and disability.”
He added, “When young people see images from Gaza, they might not recognize that similar destruction could affect them. However, similar devastation has been witnessed in Lebanon during the Civil War and the 2006 war.”
Dr. Messarra argues that the lack of a unified understanding of modern Lebanese history, which is not adequately taught in schools, perpetuates cycles of war. “Without historical awareness, the Lebanese will continue to face repeated cycles of war every decade.”
Some young people also have a distorted perception of war. They believe the effects of war to be instantaneous, similar to the Beirut port explosion, rather than protracted.
“For the younger generation, who have not lived through the Lebanese Civil War and barely remember life before 1990, war is perceived as instantaneous destruction because they have not experienced its long-term impacts,” concluded Dr. Messara.
The absence of a cohesive historical narrative further exacerbates the cycle of violence, perpetuating a cycle of conflict that threatens to consume future generations. The distorted perceptions of war among the youth, shaped by fragmented memories and external influences, paint a troubling picture of a nation caught in a perpetual struggle for identity and survival.
