The crisis affecting Cuba is not only impacting the economy and basic services: it is also having a serious effect on the mental health of those enduring it. A Cuban living abroad warned this week on TikTok about the alarming psychological decline she is observing on the island, with cases of individuals who had never experienced mental health issues before and are now going through severe psychiatric crises.
«The situation in Cuba is so very, very bad that it is affecting people's mental health,» stated letycastro (@leticiacastro674), who described the case of a close individual who "lost all of their sanity" without anyone being able to foresee it. "If someone had told me a few years ago that this person would lose their mind in the future, I wouldn't have believed it," she confessed.
His testimony aligns with a decline in mental health that has already begun to be studied. A study published in 2026 in the journal Social Science & Medicine, titled Powerless and Pressured: Mental Health Vulnerabilities in the Context of Prolonged Blackouts in Cuba, surveyed 415 adults residing in Cuba between July and November of 2025 and revealed alarming figures: 55.4% exhibited extremely severe levels of depression, 66% extremely severe levels of anxiety, and 65.8% extremely severe levels of stress.
The research identified the impact of power outages on daily functioning as the strongest predictor of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, surpassing sociodemographic variables and the objective severity of the power cuts themselves. Younger adults demonstrated greater vulnerability, particularly in terms of stress levels and depressive symptoms.
In July 2026, Cuba Sindical published a comprehensive diagnosis of the psychosocial crisis that describes the situation as structural and links it to prolonged blackouts, food insecurity, mass migration, and the deterioration of public services. The energy crisis reached cuts exceeding 26 consecutive hours, and in some areas of the country, interruptions of up to 72 hours were reported. In early August 2026, electrical outages peaked at 2,411 MW, after July had already seen deficits exceeding 2,300 MW.
The deterioration of the healthcare system further complicates the care of those suffering from mental disorders. At the Psychiatric Hospital of Camagüey, reports of patient abuse and neglect have emerged, as well as individuals being restrained for hours, poor nutrition, and serious issues with the supply of medications. The Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, acknowledged in July 2025 that only between 30% and 32% of the essential medications were available. The shortage has also impacted psychotropic drugs used to treat various mental disorders.
"In Cuba, there is currently no healthcare system for psychiatric patients. There is no truth for anyone, but even less for psychiatric patients. There are no institutions in good condition, there are no medications for these patients, so they are at the mercy of God," Letycastro stated.
The crisis is particularly concerning due to its impact on the younger population. Tania Peón, the Director of Mental Health in Havana, warned in 2026 about an increase in suicidal behavior among adolescents in the capital during the first half of the year. Official data already indicated a troubling trend: deaths from intentionally inflicted injuries among those aged 5 to 18 rose from 18 in 2022 to 28 in 2023, making it the third leading cause of death in that age group.
Letycastro ended her message with a warning directed at those remaining on the island: "Try to let go of things you cannot resolve... because if not, my friends, you are going to lose. Unfortunately, you are going to lose your mind from all the pressure."
The overall statistics also reflect the magnitude of the problem. In 2023, 1,671 deaths due to intentionally self-inflicted injuries were recorded in Cuba, of which 1,390 were men and 281 were women, according to the Health Statistical Yearbook. This figure represents an increase compared to the 1,435 deaths recorded in 2022 and underscores the severity of a public health issue that is developing amid a prolonged economic, energy, and health crisis.
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