The spirit of Islam is a heavy presence in the Middle East, negatively affecting Christian believers of all ages, shares Karim Saleh, ANM’s Regional Director for the Middle East. Believers who converted from a Muslim background are especially susceptible to negative effects such as persecution because converting away from Islam is illegal or heavily opposed in Muslim-majority countries.
Child believers from Muslim backgrounds are some of the most vulnerable people to persecution due to their young age. Experiencing persecution while they’re still growing also hurts their mental health. The mental health of persecuted children in the Middle East is a priority for native missionaries that we partner with, which you can read about below.
Where and How Believing Children Experience Persecution
Some Muslim-majority countries issue ID cards which include a person’s official religion. Countries such as Egypt issue the ID card at birth and don’t allow people to change the religion on their card. Children grow up knowing what their official religion is, especially since many parents choose their child’s name based on their religious beliefs.
When a family secretly converts from Islam to Christianity, they cannot change the religion on their ID cards. Even if parents convert before having children, they cannot register their child under a different religion from them without arousing suspicion. In this case, they may choose a secular name for their child to reduce immediate religious identification, which Karim shares is a popular choice.
Eventually, the child will go to school, where their education may partially depend on their official religion. Their peers will know, based on going to school together and potentially their name, what their religion is.
If a converted child hesitates or refuses to answer a question based on their official religion, then school officials and peers may start to suspect a religious conversion. School officials may report the family to religious or legal authorities. Peers may mock, avoid, hurt, or report someone they suspect is a convert.
Fear of experiencing persecution or enduring persecution can damage the believing child’s mental health. Seeing a loved one experience persecution, such as beatings or imprisonment, can also hurt a child’s mental health.
Pray for people experiencing persecution with our free Advancing the Kingdom prayer guide.
Mental Health Disorders Persecuted Children Experience
There are three major mental health disorders that Karim and psychiatric professionals frequently observe in persecuted children: post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety either singularly or combined, and anxiety-induced loss of bladder control.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs when a person struggles to recover from experiencing or seeing a traumatic event. A traumatic event is any experience that is shocking, frightening, or dangerous, especially one that threatens long-term harm to a person’s physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing.
Persecution is a traumatic event. Children who experience or see persecution often develop PTSD with symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, and panic attacks. Panic attacks can cause additional physical symptoms such as chest and stomach pain, dizziness, sweating, and a racing heartbeat.
Depression and Anxiety
Depression is a persistent feeling of overwhelming sadness, despair, hopelessness, or worthlessness. Many people who are depressed also lose interest in activities, consider ending their life, and experience mood and energy changes. Traumatic events such as persecution can trigger depression.
Anxiety is a sometimes chronic feeling of fear, dread, or uneasiness from internal or external stressors. Many people who are anxious often experience symptoms such as chronic worry for the future, thoughts that are difficult to control, shortness of breath, and trouble sleeping. Traumatic events such as persecution and living in a stressful environment can trigger anxiety.
Some people, including persecuted children in the Middle East, struggle with depression and anxiety at the same time. Doctors theorize that depression and anxiety come from the same or closely related parts of the brain, which means a traumatic event or other circumstance can trigger both of them at the same time. In some cases, symptoms of one can trigger the other.
For example, constantly worrying about the future from anxiety may make someone become depressed, which can lead to thoughts of suicide.
Anxiety-Induced Loss of Bladder Control
One symptom of anxiety or anxiety-depression that can develop into its own disorder is loss of bladder control. Involuntary loss of bladder control often occurs while someone is sleeping and is most common in young children. While many young children struggle to control their bladders at night, doctors become concerned when it occurs in children who are over 7 and losing bladder control more than twice a week for over three months.
Loss of bladder control can increase the risk of depression because it can cause feelings of shame and embarrassment. Medical and psychiatric doctors often work together to address the root cause of losing bladder control, especially if the cause is a traumatic event like persecution.
Native Missionary Response to Children’s Mental Health Disorders
Children are some of the most important members of the Kingdom of God. Encouraging their faith and bolstering their mental health is essential when they experience or witness persecution.
One of our native missionaries in the Middle East partners with two Christian psychologists, a man and a woman, who offer in-person and online counseling services. Karim helps these psychologists connect with other ministries and individuals in need of counseling, including children who’ve experienced persecution. These weekly or monthly sessions help children work through their traumatic experiences and any existing mental health disorders, so they can grow into healthy believers.
Elham, ANM’s Director of Arabic Women’s Ministry, is also an official in an Arabic women’s association. Her role in the association enables her to host awareness courses and parental training for mothers in the Middle East. These courses and training help them and their children with difficult situations, including mental health struggles.
There are two ways you can support the mental health of persecuted children in the Middle East: pray and make a financial donation. Download our free 21 Ways You Can Advance the Kingdom Through Prayer guide so you can have goal-oriented prayers at your fingertips that address persecution, Bible shortages, and more.
If the Lord leads you to make a financial donation, you can give through our website. Your gift will help missionaries care for persecuted believers, including children who need mental health help to grow up safe and healthy.
Download our prayer guide or give through our website now.
Special thanks to Regional Director for the Middle East Karim Saleh and Director of Arabic Women’s Ministry Elham Saleh for their contributions.
