Morocco's "culture of death".. Disturbing numbers reveal the spread of suicide

Raseef 22
Nov 18, 2022


"I'll just hang myself and be rid of you all”, "The only solution is death", "I am going to burn myself", or "Lord, I’d rather die than live a life of humiliation"... These are some of the morbid phrases and sentences that Moroccans suffering from life's hardships, and those who suffer from serious mental disorders, repeat on a regular basis, in the absence of any support or attention from their families. Words such as these indicate a type of mental breakdown or 'burn out', and reflect the spread of the "culture of suicide" in the Moroccan society. These phrases are repeated the most by the youth then the elderly in the country, the employed and unemployed, doctors and security officials, and by men and women alike. Everyone equally promotes these lethal ideas and this deadly phenomenon that's become widespread in a society that looks at those who commit suicide with disdain and contempt because of religious beliefs that view suicide as a major sin, and state that “a person who commits suicide is punished with what he/she has done the deed with”. This causes shame and stigma to haunt the families and relatives of people who commit suicide.

What are the reasons for the rise in suicide rates in Morocco? Why has suicide now been able to permeate and sink its deathly claws into all segments of society and age groups? Are Morocco's structures and frameworks capable of combating this phenomenon? Is there any interest or concern for the psychological and mental health of citizens in Morocco?

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