“Lebanon Debate” – Samar Yamout
UNICEF statistics indicate that more than 370,000 children were displaced from their homes in Lebanon during just the first weeks of the Israeli military escalation in Lebanon that began on March 2. This number, which rises with every new Israeli warning, heralds a huge psychological impact on the emerging generation, which is facing one of the largest waves of displacement that the country has witnessed in recent years.
In every war, children pay the highest price, even though they did not choose the war and did not participate in making it. Between the sounds of raids, explosions, scenes of displacement, and daily anxiety, thousands of children in Lebanon suddenly find themselves outside their homes, schools, and familiar neighborhoods. Some of them had to move to schools and shelters, while other families resorted to staying with relatives or renting homes in safer areas, leaving behind their rooms, toys, friends, and everything that gave them a sense of stability.
Although the end of the battles may put an end to the immediate danger, the question that arises is: Is the end of the war enough for the children to recover psychologically? Or will the effects of fear, displacement, and loss of loved ones last for many years? What practical steps should the family, school and community take to help them regain their childhood?
Social psychologist Dr. Faryal Halawi answers that children constitute the most vulnerable group during wars, because they do not have the psychological and cognitive tools that allow them to understand what is happening or deal with it as adults do. She explains that the child is not only affected by the direct dangers of war, but also by feelings of fear, terror, and uncertainty, by the loss of places he is accustomed to, and sometimes by the loss of people he loved or was emotionally attached to.
She pointed out in her interview with Lebanon Debate that “the end of the war does not necessarily mean the end of its psychological effects, because the child often does not express his feelings in the way that adults do. Many children suppress their fears and thoughts inside themselves, which may lead to the emergence of psychological and behavioral repercussions in later stages of their lives if they are not helped to express what they feel.”
Expression is the primary gateway to helping children recover, but this expression is not always in direct speech, especially in younger children. Therefore, Halawi advises “using alternative means such as drawing, playing, role-playing, and various artistic works, because they allow the child to express his feelings and fears in a safe way, and also help parents and specialists understand what is going on inside him.”
Speaking about how to deal with children’s fears, Halawi stresses the importance of acknowledging feelings of fear and not belittling or denying them. She says, “Some parents make a common mistake when they ask the child not to be afraid or try to convince him that what he hears are nothing but the sounds of fireworks or crackers, considering that this method may lead to adverse results. She adds that what is required is to reassure the child without lying to him, by providing simple and honest information appropriate to his age and ability to understand, while assuring him that he is not alone and that there is someone taking care of him and trying to protect him.”
Children experience fear in a different way than adults, because the brain areas responsible for controlling emotions and logical analysis do not fully develop until advanced stages of life. Therefore, the child senses danger as if he is present in the heart of the event, even if he is geographically far from it, which makes him more vulnerable to constant feelings of anxiety and tension. As for the practical steps required to help children regain their psychological balance, Halawi asserts that “the gradual return to the daily routine constitutes one of the most important elements of recovery. For this reason, she advises returning children to schools and educational activities whenever circumstances permit, and not keeping them constantly following security news and developments. She also calls on parents to avoid constantly discussing the details of wars and crises in front of children, because continuous exposure to negative scenes and news exacerbates their level of anxiety.”
She believes that simple daily activities play an essential role in restoring a sense of stability, whether through reading, drawing, cooking, farming, or any activity that helps the child regain part of his normal life. It also stresses the importance of providing safe spaces to play and interact with peers, as this has a positive impact in alleviating psychological pressures and enhancing a sense of security and belonging.
Halawi focuses on the suffering of displaced children, who lost their private spaces and personal belongings as a result of displacement, explaining that “the child does not only lose his home, but also loses his small world in which he felt safe.” Therefore, it is recommended to preserve as much as possible some of his personal belongings, even if they are simple, such as toys, notebooks, pictures, or items that are related to his memories, because this has a role in alleviating his feeling of being uprooted from his usual environment. It also stresses the importance of rebuilding social ties for children after displacement, by encouraging communication with friends, family members, and neighbors and organizing group activities that allow them to interact with other children, because social relationships constitute one of the most important factors of psychological protection in times of crisis.
Regarding children who have lost a member of their family or people close to them, she stresses the need to deal with it honestly and in a manner appropriate to the child’s age, while always linking the concept of loss to the idea of life, its continuation and renewal. She explains that stories, drawings, and expressive activities can be used to help the child understand the meaning of loss and deal with it. He can also be encouraged to write a letter to the person he lost, draw memories of him, or keep things that remind him of him.
In conclusion, children’s recovery from the effects of war cannot be achieved simply by stopping the fighting. Rather, it requires a supportive environment that provides them with safety, stability, and psychological containment, and the cooperation of the family, school, and the entire community in order to help them regain their childhood and move toward the future with the least possible psychological scars.
