‘No sense of safety’: how the Beirut blast created a mental health crisis

A year on from the devastating explosion, people are struggling to sleep and PTSD is widespread - amid economic chaos

Rayan Khatoun has been dreading 4 August. She has been constantly on edge as the anniversary of the port explosion in Beirut approached.

The blast threw Khatoun into a wall as she came home from work and left her with a head injury, a fractured cheekbone and torn tendons. Since then, she has suffered from recurring nightmares, insomnia and anxiety attacks.