A Psychiatrist: The Psychological Effects of the Protests of Fall 2022 Will Continue

As time passes since last year's widespread protests, observers and specialists are discussing their impact on society. A psychiatrist has told a Tehran newspaper that field observations indicate that 'the people's spirits are not good' and the psychological effects will last for a long time. The newspaper Etemad quotes psychiatrist Reza Daneshmand, who stated that people do not experience feelings of satisfaction, security, or stability. Citing studies, Daneshmand noted that the main factors contributing to the increase in psychiatric disorders or symptoms are related to individuals' economic and social conditions, poverty, and unemployment. He mentioned that from the end of Shahrivar 1401 (September 2022) until the end of the year, there was a 'worrying level of violence' across the country, and psychiatrists repeatedly warned that the visible violence in the streets, along with alarming news and the stress and sadness of the people, would have serious repercussions for the mental health of society. According to this psychiatrist, we are currently facing the psychological effects of last year's events and will continue to do so in the future. Daneshmand emphasized that the 'lack of a sense of stability' and 'lack of a sense of security' are among the psychological effects of last year's events. He believes that the effects of what happened will 'continue for a long time, even if we accept that the factors causing it do not persist, but its effects will remain.' The Etemad newspaper reported on Shahrivar 19 that data extraction shows an increase in Google searches for the word 'suicide' precisely when the country's unrest had less visible manifestations, that is, in Farvardin 1402 (April 2023). The report raises the question of why the search for the word 'suicide' increased after the external unrest of 1401 subsided and sought answers from Mohammad Ali Dadgostarnia, the director of education and research at 'LifeWeb.' He noted that one of the most prominent emotions seen in tweets after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the 'morality police' was 'expectation.' According to this expert, expectation is a hope that is expected to be realized quickly. This expectation was not realized, which can be said to have led to a sense of frustration among some of the people who were producing content in this regard. Alongside last year's protests, economic problems in recent years have become one of the significant factors contributing to societal frustration. High inflation of over 40% in recent years and the average price of housing in Tehran exceeding 80 million tomans, alongside decreasing purchasing power and shrinking household budgets, have contributed to depression and frustration in society.