In the last four years, 1.431 people have committed suicide in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), according to data from the Center for Security Studies.
“The majority of suicide perpetrators in BiH are individuals over the age of 60, and it is believed that the cause of such acts could be a sense of ‘worthlessness’ and neglect,” the Center states in its analysis.
According to their data, from 2020 to 2023, nearly 80 percent of suicides were committed by males. Denis Hadzovic, the president of this center, believes that among these tragic numbers, a large portion consists of those who participated in the war or suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“We all know that our society and mental health institutions haven’t devoted enough attention to these problems, and we are all aware of how prevalent PTSD is in our society,” says Hadzovic, adding that research on the reasons could indicate that untreated mental or psychological illnesses are one of the causes preventing these individuals from becoming members of society who can fulfill all their obligations.
An analysis published in 2023, on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, showed that those suffering from PTSD in BiH were further burdened by the news, which reminded them of their own experiences during the war in BiH. The analysis also exposed the lack of systemic support for those affected, who feel abandoned and forgotten.
Uneven practices in financial allocations for PTSD sufferers
Furthermore, an analysis from a year ago showed that BiH – nearly three decades after the end of the war – has not developed specialized centers for PTSD sufferers nor has clear and unified data on the exact number of affected individuals and their needs, while a significant portion of fieldwork is expected to be carried out by non-governmental organizations, with sporadic funding and no clearly developed strategies.
A year later, responses from institutions indicate that the uneven practice remains the same. Some state they do not have a separate allocation in the financial plan for this category or did not allocate funds during the previous year, nor for the current one.
The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Social Policy of the Una-Sana Canton (USC) stated that it did not allocate “any special funds” for the population affected by PTSD in 2023, nor did it plan this category in the 2024 budget.
The Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) states that they support the category of veterans diagnosed with PTSD as part of realizing all rights that can be implemented through this ministry.
They provided one-time financial assistance for treatment to 58 beneficiaries, totaling about ten thousand BAM. They also added that they allocated a monetary amount of 34.670 BAM from the budget for the previous year to associations whose members or founders are affected by PTSD.
The need for PTSD sufferers not to be stigmatized
In addition to fighting for their basic rights, and receiving support from doctors and their families, PTSD sufferers have the need to be visible in society and not be stigmatized.
PTSD is a disease that practically anyone can develop after experiencing traumatic events that are outside of their normal experience. What is particularly characteristic of PTSD are intrusive images and thoughts, that is, memories of painful experiences, which is a constant struggle that those affected face, Detektor reports.
E.Dz.
