Melancholia in the Time of War: Analysing the Efficacy of Psychosocial Aid in Post-Conflict Liberia

The continent of Africa, since the advent of its colonial subjugation and beyond, has been replete with conflicts, be it intra or inter state. Such armed and violent hostilities not only disrupt the quotidian lifestyle of civilians, but also render them vulnerable to great levels of stress and severe mental trauma. This article, through pure qualitative research, attempts at investigating the mental health issues and disorders, individual or collective, prevailing among the inhabitants of such conflict settings in the Dark Continent. The article further stresses the importance of said mental illnesses as a direct consequence of the conflagrations and claims its stance to be at par with physical traumas sustained by the post conflict African society. By placing emphasis on the country of Liberia, which has been subjected to a myriad of brutal conflicts in the last century, the article seeks to understand the effectiveness of the resolution schemes across the post conflict regions with respect to the provisions made for the aid of such mental health issues and the viability of its awareness among the Liberian populace regarding its knowledge and treatment.