A member of the 11th Parliament’s Health Commission of the Islamic Council, Dr. Homayoun Sameh Yeh Najaf Abadi, an elected representative of the Iranian Kallemyan in the Parliament and a member of the Health and Treatment Commission of the Islamic Council, knows that the actual number of people with mental disorders in the country is higher than the official number announced and says that COVID-19 has caused an increase in depression among the people.

The news also tells of an increase in mental disorders among the people of our country. Considering the pressure, anxiety, and stress of the coronavirus disease and the heartbreaking economic situation of the country, we went to see Dr. Homayoun Sameh Yeh, a representative of the parliament, to ask him why we are facing such a problem and what should be done from his perspective as a member of the parliament.

This representative of the parliament, who is also the head of the Kalimian Association of Iran, mentioned three main issues in response to the Khat-e-Solh magazine: the coronavirus disease, the economic situation of the country, and the lack of coverage for psychological services by insurance companies. He also stated that in the commission of health, he will address the necessity of educating the people to reduce psychological tensions in families. He believes that the government must obtain the coronavirus vaccine and vaccinate the society in any way possible.

You can read the detailed conversation about the peace agreement with this representative and member of the Health and Treatment Commission of the Parliament below:

Ahmad Hajabi, the head of the Mental Health Office at the Ministry of Health, announced in a press conference in October 2020 that 23% of the country’s population is suffering from some form of mental disorder. He stated that out of this number, approximately 66 to 75% do not seek treatment from psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health specialists. Why do you think Iran is facing such a problem and what factors have contributed to this situation?

Not only in Iran, but in all societies, a percentage of people suffer from mental and emotional problems. Having mental and emotional problems does not necessarily mean that the person has a severe mental disorder that needs to be hospitalized or labeled as insane. Depression, anxiety, OCD, and many other neurological and psychological problems are issues that a person can live with in society normally, but may need the help of a psychologist. However, in my opinion, the real number is much higher than 23%, as in industrialized and Western countries, 23% is a natural occurrence of mental disorders. Therefore, we expect this number to be higher in Iran.

Do you think the number of people with mental disorders in the country is higher than the official number announced?

Yes, I think it is getting worse. There are two main issues to consider. One is the problems related to the coronavirus disease and home quarantines, which have caused an increase in depression among people. Many people, out of fear of getting sick, have become extremely anxious and have quarantined themselves in a sickly manner, and are very worried. They are doing more than what is necessary and should be done, and this has caused anxiety and obsession among people. In other countries, the situation is either the same or worse, with more severe problems.

Another issue is the economic problems of the people. Economic problems lead to tensions between people and families. When a family breadwinner is unable to manage and provide for their family financially and faces difficulties, they may develop nervous problems. Unless the person is extremely careless, which is very rare, economic problems will definitely cause nervous tensions and affect their relationships with others and within their families.

We are in a state of sanctions and economic problems are being imposed on the people. The coronavirus and its problems have multiplied this issue. Many small businesses during the months of the coronavirus outbreak in the country have only been able to provide for their livelihood for a few days. Small and even large businesses have suffered significant losses. The government has also been unable to provide support and assistance. What the government has done so far has been very little. These problems also lead to nervous problems in individuals. Many who suffer from nervous problems do not seek help from psychiatrists and psychologists. This has two reasons. One is that this type of referral is not yet part of our culture. If we recommend someone to see a psychiatrist or psychologist and solve their problems through counseling, they take it personally and say, “I’m not crazy!”

I am involved in social work and one of my duties in my community is to recommend people to seek help from a psychologist or counselor. For example, in family problems, we advise individuals to see a counselor. However, one of the spouses or both refuse and say that we are not crazy to go to a psychologist. They say that we can solve our own problems and give answers like that.

The next problem goes back to economic issues. Psychological services are not covered by insurance. The cost is also staggering. Each 45-minute to one-hour session costs between 180,000 to 400,000 tomans, which many people simply cannot afford. Seeing a psychologist is not just one or two sessions. They may need between 5 to 20 sessions, or even more. If the person cannot afford it, they will not seek help and will not go for counseling. All of these factors add up and create a major problem.

In light of what you have said, the issue under discussion is multifaceted and complex. In the assembly, are there any proposed solutions for solving these problems and is the issue being discussed?

Many people do not know what the duty of the parliament and government is. But we expect you, as journalists, to know this. This decision-making and follow-up is the duty of the government.

Legislation regarding this duty is the responsibility of the parliament.

There is no need for legislation. A bill to solve the problem of insurance services in the field of counseling and psychology must be presented by the government. This is because the government must determine what income source can support this issue. The bill must be presented to the parliament by the government for the parliament to make a decision about it. It is not really the parliament’s duty. The parliament’s duty is legislation. So what is the government’s role here? I receive thousands of messages daily asking me to change the final exam schedule, for example! This is not our responsibility. So what is the Ministry of Education doing? Unfortunately, these responsibilities have been mixed up and we don’t know what is happening in this country! You go and ask the government. Ask the Minister of Health and the Organization of Psychology and Counseling what solutions they have.

In this field and for problem-solving, in addition to presenting proposals by the government, the parliament must also propose solutions.

I am telling you three things that have been discussed about them. First, vaccinating all the people of Iran as quickly as possible against the coronavirus. Unfortunately, we are behind the world in terms of vaccination. This has caused many problems for us. Do not think that we have only been dealing with coronavirus for the past 15 months and everything will be solved after vaccination. We must at least solve the problems that have arisen in the past ten years. The problems after coronavirus are numerous and diverse. In the fields of education, universities, quarantines that have been implemented, and the impact on businesses and the economy, security issues, and other problems, are all caused by coronavirus. Psychological problems are also one of the issues that have been greatly affected by the coronavirus. This disease has greatly increased psychological problems in our society. We must eradicate coronavirus, that is our slogan. The most important thing is prevention, not treatment. Both individuals and society must take preventive measures. Wearing masks,

The second issue is improving the economic situation, which I have previously explained. This is, of course, the responsibility of the government and not the people. The government must solve this problem under any circumstances and in any way possible. The parliament must also assist and accept this issue. The issue of sanctions and economic problems of the people must be resolved, and by solving them, the psychological problems of the people will also decrease.

The third issue is the coverage of psychological services by insurance companies. This also needs to be addressed. The parliament can propose a plan in this regard. However, the budget resources must be identified. Anything that has expenses or costs must have its resources identified. Otherwise, the Guardian Council will reject it.

Given the budget of 1400 and what has passed, is it possible to provide resources for what you said?

No, in the 1400 budget, no resources have been allocated for covering psychological insurance expenses.

In light of what you have said and the current situation, what is your assessment of the government and Ministry of Health’s performance in this area?

My policy is not to criticize or condemn individuals or institutions.

A part of the duty of the Supervisory Board is to monitor the performance of the government.

The first problem is the coronavirus disease and the second problem is the issue of sanctions. Each of these has its own specific problems and they are intertwined. I cannot say and I do not know why those events happened for the JCPOA and why it was signed and why the US withdrew from its commitments and why as a result, economic problems arose for Iran. But what I do know is that it is the duty of individuals and the government to solve these issues under any circumstances.

As you mentioned, coronavirus brings social distancing, staying at home, isolation, and loneliness, which can be the cause of mental problems for citizens. What measures should be considered to minimize the effects of this lifestyle on citizens’ mental health during the coronavirus situation?

Our society faced a shock in the face of Corona. The world was also shocked. Due to quarantine and staying at home, families were together more often. This increased togetherness has caused conflicts among families. Education has been and continues to be a very important issue. Just as people were taught to wear masks and use disinfectants, we should have also taught them how to reduce stress in crisis situations. Unfortunately, this was not taught. This is one of the issues that needs to be addressed.

We are in a situation where necessary education has not been provided and the mental health of the people is not in a desirable state. You said that in the 1400 budget, there is no possibility of allocating a specific budget to this issue. The government is also facing issues that are beyond its control. In the midst of all this, what is the real solution for people to improve their situation?

What you said sparked something in my mind. We can bring up this issue in the Health Commission. At the very least, we can make recommendations to the government in this regard. The reality is that the Ministry of Health has a very good collaboration with the Health and Treatment Commission of the Parliament. We can recommend that these trainings that were mentioned be given to the people and this would be a very good thing.

This training is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the national broadcasting organization. Usually, information is disseminated through the radio. The Ministry of Health provided recommendations and programs for disseminating information about health protocols, and the radio produced and broadcasted these programs. The broadcasting of these programs was also done in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, and the people have truly followed and continue to follow them. We can also use the Ministry of Health and the radio to educate people about family issues, problems, anxiety, etc. Of course, the result is not the same as seeking help from a psychologist or counselor, but it will still have an impact.

You are the representative of Kalimian in the Islamic Consultative Assembly. If you want to compare the conditions of Kalimian compatriots with other compatriots, has the coronavirus affected them more or less?

We are not detached from the Iranian nation. We are a part of this nation and community, and surely anything that affects the entire society also affects religious minorities.

Thank you for the time you have given to the peace line.