IRC scales up mental health and psychosocial support in Lebanon as hostilities drive surge in psychological distress

Beirut, Lebanon, March 26, 2026 - The sharp escalation of hostilities has intensified an already fragile situation across Lebanon, with repeated airstrikes driving people to flee their homes. Prior to the current escalation, Lebanon was already facing one of the highest rates of mental health conditions in the region with nearly half the populationscreening positive for depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Today, ongoing exposure to violence, fear, and uncertainty is driving rising levels of psychological distress. Many people report severe anxiety, disrupted sleep, emotional strain, and difficulty managing daily life. The lack of safe spaces, combined with the unpredictability of the crisis, is intensifying feelings of fear, helplessness, and exhaustion, leaving many communities in a constant state of survival.

Magda Rossmann, IRC Country Director for Lebanon, describes:

"Lebanon's crisis is no longer only visible in destroyed buildings; it is also in people's shattered sense of safety. People are living under constant threat, with no clear sense of safety or what comes next. We are seeing deep psychological distress across all segments of the population, including among people with no prior history of mental health conditions. At the same time, insecurity is cutting off access to care just as needs are surging. This cannot be treated as a secondary issue. We need an immediate end to the hostilities, and we urgently need flexible, sustained funding so mental health care can reach those who need it now and so Lebanon has the systems in place to recover in the long term."

Demand for mental health support is rising sharply. Call volumes to the national mental health hotlines doubled in the first 10 days of the escalation. Of those calling for support, 55% report acute emotional distress, 30% report suicidal ideation, and 40% require urgent referrals to emergency or community-based services, according to reports from the National Mental Health Program. The crisis is affecting a wide range of people, from those with pre-existing conditions and those at risk of relapse, to individuals experiencing symptoms for the first time. Displaced people including children, refugees, migrant workers, and people with disabilities face heightened risks due to disrupted support systems and limited access to care.

Dr. Rabih Chammay, the Head of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) at the Ministry of Public Health, explains:

"We used to speak of invisible wounds, but that no longer captures the devastation we see. Since 2019, crisis after crisis and now this war has torn through people's minds and hearts, pushing mental health to the very front line. Children wake in fear, parents carry unbearable worry, and the hurt will echo for years, if not generations, after the bombs fall silent. Investing in mental health is no longer optional; it is an act of protection, of dignity, and of hope for true healing and recovery."

The IRC is among the largest NGO partners for the government's mental health system. Supporting three of the country's four national mental health and psychosocial support services, the IRC is helping maintain continuity of care despite mounting operational constraints. The organization is also scaling up support for the hotline's Mobile Crisis Team, which is dispatched to deliver urgent psychological care across Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and North Lebanon for people affected by trauma and displacement and cannot access health facilities.

At the same time, the IRC and its partners are expanding access to innovative mental health support via phone and online tools to reach people who cannot access in-person services. This includes Step-by-Step, a free, five-week, evidence-based program developed by the World Health Organization and NMHP, delivered via a mobile app or website and complemented by weekly phone support from trained helpers. In parallel, the IRC is scaling Self-Help Plus (SH+), a guided mental health program offered through a podcast series of five pre-recorded episodes based on the WHO's evidence-based stress management program, designed for individuals experiencing stress, depression, or anxiety. The podcast and additional resources will soon also be accessible through a dedicated mobile application, further ensuring that vulnerable communities across Lebanon receive timely, flexible, and confidential care wherever they are.

In parallel, IRC conducts recreational sessions for children displaced in shelters to provide safe, supportive spaces where children affected by the escalations can momentarily step away from distress. Through group activities, creative expression such as drawing and coloring, and interactive games, children are encouraged to interact with others, share their emotions, and regain a sense of normalcy and stability.

Despite efforts to adapt and expand services, needs continue to rise while insecurity and limited resources constrain delivery. As the crisis persists, demand for sustained and specialized mental health support is expected to increase in the coming weeks.

The IRC is calling on donors and the international community to urgently scale up investment in mental health and psychosocial support in Lebanon. Funding must be flexible and sustained to address immediate needs while strengthening national systems for long-term recovery. Without swift action, the psychological impact of this crisis risks becoming a long-lasting and deeply entrenched public health emergency.

Background on IRC's work on mental health in Lebanon:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is leading the implementation of the Support for Social Recovery Needs of Vulnerable Groups Phase II (SRP2) project, running from September 2024 to June 2026. The project builds on the efforts of its first phase, which aimed to support the immediate social recovery needs of vulnerable groups following the Port of Beirut explosion.

The Mental Health and Psychosocial (MHPSS) interventions of the project include strengthening the national mental health services. Through supporting, developing, improving, and introducing national services that are part of the strategic objectives of the National Mental Health Strategy 2024-2030, the SRP2 is able to achieve true system strengthening of mental healthcare system in Lebanon. The implementation of the national strategy and the support to improve the infrastructure and architecture of Mental Health care in Lebanon would not have been possible without the strong and successful partnership of IRC with the governmental entity, National Mental Health Program (NMHP). This project is implemented by different national partners and is made possible by the World Bank administered Multi Donor Trust Fund for Forced Displacement and the PROSPECTS Partnership. PROSPECTS is supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Notes to Editors

Photographs and case studies documenting the IRC's response are available here.