Mental Health Consequences of War: Lessons from Recent Conflicts and Implications for All, Specifically Iranians
Abstract
War represents one of the most catastrophic human experiences, leaving indelible marks not only on the physical landscape but on the psychological well-being of entire populations. War and armed conflict have profound and lasting impacts on mental health, affecting combatants and civilians alike. The recent 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, which saw aerial bombardments of some Iranian cities resulting in over 1,070 fatalities—70% of whom were civilians—has brought into sharp focus the urgent need to address the mental health consequences of modern warfare. While the immediate physical destruction is visible and quantifiable, the psychological trauma inflicted on survivors often remains hidden, yet its effects can persist for decades, even across generations.
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2. Thakur N, Rai N, Misra S, Misra M. Pediatric Trauma - A Silent Epidemic. Curr Pediatr Rev. 2024;20(4):472-7.
3. Bekeko SD, Mekonnen FA, Teklu RE. Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and their predictors among internally displaced persons in a conflict-affected area of Metekel Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: structural equation modeling. Front Psychiatry. 2025;16:1544289.
4. Taghva A, Hajebi A, Noorbala AA, Khademi M, Asadi A, Rahnejat AM, et al. Mental health stigma in Iran: A systematic review. Stigma Health. 2024.
5. Zandifar A, Badrfam R, Mohammadian Khonsari N, Mohammadi MR, Asayesh H, Qorbani M. Prevalence and Associated Factors of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Stigma among Health Care Workers in Contact with COVID-19 Patients. Iran J Psychiatry. 2020;15(4):340-50.
6. Aflakseir A, Rasooli Esini M, Goodarzi M, Molazadeh J. Individuals with Mental Illness and Stigma Reduction: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Group of College Students. Iran J Psychiatry. 2019;14(4):297-301.
7. Abudayya A, Bruaset GTF, Nyhus HB, Aburukba R, Tofthagen R. Consequences of war-related traumatic stress among Palestinian young people in the Gaza Strip: A scoping review. Mental Health & Prevention. 2023;32:200305.
8. Attanayake V, McKay R, Joffres M, Singh S, Burkle F, Jr., Mills E. Prevalence of mental disorders among children exposed to war: a systematic review of 7,920 children. Med Confl Surviv. 2009;25(1):4-19.
9. Peltonen K. Children and war–vulnerability and resilience. Eur J Dev Psychol. 2025;22(3):340-52.
10. Kerbage H, Elbejjani M, Bazzi O, El-Hage W, BouKhalil R, Corruble E, et al. 'We are all children of war': a qualitative inquiry into parenting following adolescents' recent traumatic exposure in a multiple crisis setting in Beirut, Lebanon. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2024;15(1):2382650.
11. Cramm H, Godfrey CM, Murphy S, McKeown S, Dekel R. Experiences of children growing up with a parent who has military-related post-traumatic stress disorder: a qualitative systematic review. JBI Evid Synth. 2022;20(7):1638-740.
12. Burde D, Kapit A, Wahl RL, Guven O, Skarpeteig MI. Education in emergencies: A review of theory and research. Rev Educ Res. 2017;87(3):619-58.
13. Hundorova T. Transgenerational Trauma and Maternal Criticism in a Decolonial Perspective. Family Constellations in Contemporary Ibero-American and Slavic Literatures: Historical Imaginary, Transnationality, Narrative Form. 2024:115.
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| Keywords | ||
| Mental health; War | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Mohammadi MR, Khaleghi A. Mental Health Consequences of War: Lessons from Recent Conflicts and Implications for All, Specifically Iranians. Iran J Psychiatry. 2025;:1-3.
