Deteriorating living conditions heighten anxiety and family tension
LIBYA – Psychologist and behaviour modification specialist Khaled Attia has warned of the worsening economic and living crisis in Libya and its effects on psychological and social stability, arguing that promises of salary increases are not enough to tackle high prices and falling purchasing power in an oil-rich country.
Declining living standards despite oil resources
In comments to the Libyan News Agency (LANA), Attia said Libya’s potential should allow its citizens to live in better social, economic, educational, health and recreational conditions, but that families are suffering, as he put it, from rising day-to-day burdens.
He warned that hardship would spread and more citizens would edge closer to poverty in the coming years if the prices of basic goods, medicines, treatment and primary healthcare continued to rise.
Criticism of pay rises that leave the dollar rate untouched
Attia argued that promises of salary increases seem futile as long as the rising price of the dollar and disruption in markets, prices and trade remain unaddressed, saying any increase could be followed by price rises and so fail to improve living standards.
Anxiety, stress and family cohesion
He added that difficult living conditions affect individuals’ mental state and the cohesion and stability of families, and could increase anxiety, stress and psychological disorders, the effects of which he said Libyans have endured since 2011 without adequate treatment.
Criticism of officials and warning of a deepening crisis
He noted that he had previously warned of the seriousness of these indicators without any response, and accused officials, in his assessment, of putting their personal interests and the accumulation of wealth ahead of society’s needs, warning of even greater hardship if the economic and social causes he described are not addressed.
