Conflict and mental health: the experiences of people living with mental illness and disability amidst ongoing conflict

Low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) house a majority of the displaced exposed to conflicts and the mental health consequences for these communities are well documented. Although there is an increasing recognition for mental health and psychosocial support (MH&PSS) interventions in LMIC, the efficacy of these interventions is often debated. Several approaches have emerged in response to these debates, but have limited influence on practice. Thus, several key issues such as the neglect of people with mental illness (PWMI) continue to persist. The paper revisits the approach to MH&PSS in LMIC by drawing from the lived experiences of PWMI living amidst ongoing conflict in Assam. The paper highlights the gaps in the current understanding that informs programming, and the need to reconsider the traumatic stress-based approaches to MH&PSS that do not address the mental health needs of large population groups and the most vulnerable like PWMI.