“The Lebanese live the worst life in the world,” according to the recently concluded “Gallup” index, which found that only 4% of Lebanese rated their lives positively, enough to call them “prosperous,” the worst result in the Gallup record for any country.

This result, however, does not appear shocking to any Lebanese citizen, even if it is based on a Gallup survey conducted in 2019, as the crises in Lebanon began in 2019, exacerbated during 2020, and are still ongoing today, especially after the epidemic and the port blast, as well as the dollar crisis, and the security and social chaos, which increased the suffering of the Lebanese in their daily lives.

It is not surprising, given all these pressures, that nerve drugs and tranquilizers are among the first drugs that were cut off from the Lebanese market.

Depression is a common disorder. In 2020, the world witnessed an increase in the size of this segment, which suffers from several psychological problems. According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 million people of all ages worldwide suffer from depression. Depression has been considered the leading cause of disability in the world, and is the main contributor to the overall global burden of disease, and women are affected more by this disorder than men.

“And if, according to Gallup, the percentage of Lebanese who felt sad doubled from 2018 to 2021, reaching 56%, accompanied by an increase in anxiety to 47% and pressure to 61%, it is now possible to discuss “some disorder,” following the collective shock that the Lebanese are experiencing,” according to the same website.

According to medical sources, the use of sedatives (Xanax, Lexotanil, etc.) has increased by 20% in the past year. This means that these drugs are no longer limited to patients, but are now available to a broader range of people. “A variety of factors contribute to people approaching the brink of depression and anxiety.

According to the study, “everyone in Lebanon lives in fear, anxiety, emptiness, and rumination of dark thoughts all the time,” which “makes the Lebanese live a kind of collective depression that they express in their daily lives and their relationships with others, especially with the family, and from here we may witness a rise in violence cases.”

Today, the Lebanese survive by consuming nerve pills, and their rulers remain emotionless.