The Lebanese Journal of Mental Health: A Dream Realized

It is with great pride and profound emotion that I present to you the inaugural issue of the Lebanese Journal of Mental Health (LJMH), the long-awaited publication of the Lebanese Psychiatric Society. This journal is not simply the outcome of the final efforts of a few committed individuals – although their dedication was indispensable – it is, above all, the realization of a collective dream. A dream first dreamt by the pioneers of psychiatry in Lebanon who, in the face of war, scarcity, and stigma, dared to imagine a better future for mental health in this country. These early psychiatrists faced overwhelming challenges: armed conflict, limited resources, a severe shortage of professionals, persistent stigma, and the burden of practicing in an environment where mental illness was misunderstood and often rejected. Despite everything, they organized, persisted, and laid the foundations of a profession that would endure turmoil, economic collapse, political instability, a pandemic, and the painful emigration of many colleagues. Psychiatry in Lebanon today stands resilient. It offers modern, evidence-based treatments and reflects the quality of education and the strong spirit of those who practice it. However, its development is still stuck in an underfunded and unevenly distributed mental health system. The LJMH is born to reflect this duality–not only to document what is but also to illuminate what is not yet. This journal is both a mirror and a call to action. It is an invitation to all mental health professionals–psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychomotor therapists, speech and occupational therapists, nurses, and all allied professionals – to contribute, to engage, and to be heard. This platform needs your voice as much as you may need its space. I also wish to pay tribute to those who paved the way. To our mentors, elders, and esteemed predecessors who continue to inspire and whose legacy shapes the discipline we inherit. They embraced psychiatry with a love for science at a time when publishing was a near-impossible task. They faced constraints of time, language barriers, the scarcity of research teams, the challenge of national collaboration, inconsistent nomenclature, limited access to interventional studies, the difficulty of patient follow-up, cultural complexities, and the lack of funding for research and publication. And yet – they succeeded. They succeeded because they persevered. Because they believed in their mission. Because, like so many Lebanese, they expressed excellence wherever they were and in whatever they did. They planted in us the seed of scientific inquiry in psychiatry and inspired us to innovate in our therapies, our reflections, and our strategies. We also honor great figures in Lebanese psychiatry, such as Theophilus Waldmeier, Father Jacques Haddad, Professor Henry Ayoub, and many others who believed in the scientific nature of psychiatry when evidence was far less robust than today’s. Still, they persisted. They carried the torch of mental health and held it high, elevating psychiatry to its rightful place within medicine and society. They demonstrated that mental health can be treated with science and care, and that even in the most uncertain of times, psychiatrists can survive the trials of their profession and contribute to the great endeavor of saving lives. The LJMH exists to acknowledge what is present, identify what is missing, and shape what must come next. We will shed light on progress and on unmet needs – not only in Lebanon but throughout the region and the world. Because mental health is a global concern, our local stories are part of a larger human narrative. I express my deepest appreciation to the presidents and members of the Lebanese Psychiatric Society for their unwavering support. I look forward to future milestones – especially the day when the LJMH earns its first indexation and impact factor. Until then, we research, we write, we read, we publish – and we carry this dream forward.