A review on mental health challenges and interventions in the context of pandemics, terrorism, war and armed conflicts

This review explores how pandemics, terrorism, war, and armed conflicts affect mental health. The aim of this study is to understand the contributing factors for increased global mental health problems and assess the interventions for better mental health outcomes. We searched PubMed using the terms (“war” OR “terrorism” OR “armed conflicts”) AND (“mental health” OR “psychiatry”), published from the inception to June 30, 2024, without language restrictions. The pandemic, terrorism, war, and armed conflicts have impacted the mental health of the global population over a long time, and accordingly, prevalence of mental disorders are high among all age groups. Consequently depression, anxiety, and stress are prevalent among vulnerable communities. The policymakers and healthcare authorities have introduced and implemented initiatives, such as telehealth services, crisis hotlines, and community-based mental health programs for susceptible populations. The increased prevalence of mental health illnesses across the world highlights that a complete multi-faceted solution is needed. Incorporating mental health in public health policies, strengthening community-based and psychological support, expanding telehealth services, and channeling more funding to mental health programs would be successful strategies. Sustained community support networks, culturally appropriate skills, outreach programs, and broader public awareness initiatives are needed to help towards a long-term mental health recovery. Policymakers and researchers globally work together to identify ways forward in tackling these barriers, focusing on addressing social determinants of mental health, providing resilience promotion, and ensuring equity access to mental health services.