SANANDAJ, Iran — 22 year-old Amanj Zamani has worked nonstop since the age of 12, from a waiter to a construction worker in Tehran, to make ends meet. Now, he has turned to the bottle for refuge as his savings disappear under the plummeting value of Iran’s currency, leaving his 10 years of savings almost worthless.
The economic crisis, followed by US sanctions, has created mental troubles for Iranians in addition to economic woes, leading to depression and suicide.
Zamani was born in the foothills of the Awyer mountains in the Kurdish city of Sanandaj eastern Iran, which is a prime walking route for youth. On a cold autumn night in his small car, Amanj opens up about his fears and worries to Rudaw English.
“I come from a poor family. I quit studying to work after finishing elementary school. I have always worked in Tehran; from working at a restaurant, a tinsmith apprentice to a construction worker, I was saving up every last penny to free my family from poverty.”
“I didn't use to drink this, I started drinking to relieve my pain last year which ensued from recent circumstances as my savings are worthless,” he said while sipping on homemade Arak.
“I saved 150 million tomans ($5,000) to buy a small house for my family as my father is deceased, but that amount of money does nothing to help,” he said. He lights a cigarette and continues.
While Iran's official currency is the rial, Iranian tomans are used in everyday life. One toman is equal to ten rials.
“My only wish was to save my mom and siblings from paying rent and to buy a house for them, but in this situation I know this has become a mere dream and it really hurts me. I have been suffering from depression in recent months; that’s why I have taken refuge in drinking. If I don’t drink at night, my anxiety won’t let me sleep,” said Zamani.
.jpg "Psychologist Dr Hadi Naqdi on October 3, 2020. Photo: Jabar Dastbaz / Rudaw")
A mental health centre in Sanandaj is full of psychotherapists and a large number of patients looking to treat their mental health issues. At the clinic, psychologist and family consultant Dr Hadi Naqdi says such problems are on the rise with the financial crisis.
“Following an economic crisis, mental and social crisis increase. Social issues from our society used to be chronic, but nowadays the issues are instantaneous as a result of economic hardship. The majority of patients suffer from depression and despair due to this unfortunate situation. In the past two years, family and marital problems have increased as well.”
“When a man is incapable of making his family’s ends meet due to the economic crisis, they start to suffer from depression. This problem affects the family in many different ways, leading to domestic violence, divorce and even suicide,” Naqdi said.
“The solution lies with the government. However, this does not mean that social activists and psychologists like us should not act to find a solution. We should all contribute to help one another so as to overcome the difficulties that have plagued us,” Naqdi said.
Lost Hope
Kawa Bahmani, 41, regularly visits a therapist.
“I work as an employee at a kerosene company. I got married ten years ago. We had a happy life. My wife started to worry about us paying rent. I promised I will buy her a house.”
“I used to work harder and longer than my coworkers in order to save well, but real estate prices kept going up. Two years ago I completely lost hope in buying a house because it became too expensive. My wife therefore decided to divorce. She now lives in her parents' house along with my son,” he said.
“After my wife and I separated, I started to suffer from depression. I cut contact with everyone. With the help of a friend, I came here. I have been receiving psychotherapy for six months now. Though I feel a bit better now, I still cry sometimes because of my bad luck.”
The unprecedented inflation that has haunted Iran has the middle-class firmly in its grip, in addition to the already hard-hit working class. Government employees and the retired are also feeling the pinch due to low pay and high inflation.
“After three decades of work as a teacher, I retired three years ago, receiving a monthly pension of 3.4 million tomans [$115]. I have to pay 1.4 million tomans in rent. I have two sons who hold master’s degrees and are not employed yet and I have to cover their expenses as well,” Ismael Pashabadi, 58,told Rudaw while sitting in Saadi Park in downtown Sanandaj.
"The situation in the past years was much better. We were at least able to meet the ends of our families out of our pensions.”
Due to the current inflation, I run out of money within 15 days of receiving the pension. For the remaining days, I am forced to borrow,” he added.
“Some of my friends, even retired, are forced to become taxi drivers and work as guards because the pension they receive is not adequate to cover their needs. But since I have back pain, I cannot do any other job,” he said.
One of Pashabandi’s friends, Najma Ahmed, became very angry when joining in the conversation.
“This country is out of control. [The government] cannot monitor anything. We wake every day to witness fresh waves of high prices.”
According to the Iran Statistics Center, the annual inflation rate in September reached 26 percent, up 0.2 percent from last year.
Saadiya Ahmedi, 45, a bank employee in Sanandaj, told Rudaw English that the situation is especially hard for women.
“Female employees have a double problem; they work to make a living for their families and have to work as housewives, raising children and doing the housework. This is a huge burden on our shoulders. Inflation has made the situation much worse.”
“I have been working as a bank employee for 20 years now. I have two children. My husband is a taxi driver and does not have a good income. Though we got a pay rise recently, we are still suffering from this inflation. Everything you touch gets more expensive every day,” she said.
In the busy Sanandaj downtown bazaar, I spotted a man with his wife two daughters and engaging in a deep conversation with a shop owner to buy clothes for his children. After a long chat, they came out of the shop empty-handed. I approached him to learn what was wrong.
“I am a construction worker. I make only [$5] a day, yet I pay [$35) in rent every month,” Shaho Kemali, 38, said.
“My wife is very understanding. She knows how difficult our financial situation is. It has been two years since she bought any clothes for herself. But my daughters go to school. I have to make them dressed up in front of their classmates. Sometimes, I feel ashamed and weak when I cannot afford what they need.”
“What I have now is not enough,” he said.
Translation by Khazan Qadir and Zhelwan Z. Wali
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