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“Before you laugh at someone’s struggle, remember that you may be watching the most difficult moment of their life.” Liban Hassan Mohamed
I was shocked by what I saw, but even more disturbed by how others found it amusing.
I remember seeing videos of a Somali man circulating on TikTok. People kept sending them to me as streaks, laughing and sharing them as though they were watching comedy.
But I could not laugh.
I could see that he appeared to be struggling, and every time one of those videos reached my phone, I asked myself the same question: What is wrong with people? Why are we laughing at someone who might be going through a difficult time?
What bothered me most was how easily people turned his situation into entertainment. Few seemed to stop and think about what the man might be experiencing, how his family might feel, or whether he needed help.
I kept wondering: If this were our brother, father or son, would we still find it funny?
This is not just about one person on TikTok. It reflects a much bigger problem in our society. In Somalia, we still struggle to talk openly about mental health, and sometimes we treat people’s suffering as something to laugh about.
Social media has changed how we communicate. A video recorded on a phone can reach thousands of people within minutes. It can entertain, educate and connect us. But it can also expose vulnerable people to public humiliation.
When someone behaves unusually in a public place, some people immediately take out their phones. They record, laugh, add captions and share the video. Before long, the person’s difficult moment becomes a trending topic.
We rarely ask whether that individual is safe or needs support. Instead, the comments fill with jokes and insults.
Of course, we cannot determine someone’s mental health condition from a TikTok video. We should never diagnose people based on what we see online. But we do not need a medical diagnosis to understand that humiliating someone who may be struggling is wrong.
Imagine being filmed during one of the hardest moments of your life, then discovering that strangers across the country are laughing at you. What would that do to your dignity? How would your family feel?
A person’s vulnerability should never become a source of entertainment.
The problem does not begin with TikTok. It starts much closer to home.
In some Somali families, discussing depression, anxiety or other mental health difficulties remains uncomfortable. A young person who says they are struggling may be told to stop overthinking, become stronger or simply get on with life.
Some people fear telling their parents because they expect judgment. Others worry that relatives and neighbours will talk about them. As a result, they remain silent, even when they need support.
There is also a tendency to interpret every psychological difficulty through a single explanation. Faith is important in Somali society, and prayer and religious guidance can bring comfort to many people. But seeking professional medical help should not be treated as a rejection of faith.
A person can pray, receive support from family and consult a qualified mental health professional. These forms of support do not have to compete with one another.
We must also understand that mental health difficulties can affect anyone, regardless of age, education, income or family background. A person may appear cheerful and confident in public while quietly struggling with something they cannot easily explain.
Sometimes, the person who needs help is sitting beside us at home, studying with us at university or working alongside us every day.
Somalia has experienced decades of conflict, displacement and economic hardship. Many families have faced difficult circumstances, including unemployment, loss, insecurity and separation from loved ones.
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These experiences can place enormous emotional pressure on people, although everyone responds differently. Yet mental health support remains an area that deserves far greater public attention.
Access to qualified professionals and appropriate services can be difficult, particularly for people who cannot afford private treatment or live far from available facilities.
Families often become the first source of support, but they may not know how to respond. Some may mistake symptoms for bad behaviour, while others may avoid seeking help because of social stigma.
The result is a cycle of silence. People struggle privately, families feel uncertain about what to do, and society continues treating the subject as something embarrassing.
We cannot build a healthier society while ignoring the well-being of the people who make it up.
The first change must happen in our homes and communities. Parents, relatives, teachers and religious leaders should create an environment where people can speak openly about emotional difficulties without fear of judgment or humiliation.
Schools and universities should also promote mental health awareness and make information about counselling and professional support available to students.
The government has a responsibility, too. Mental health services should receive greater attention within the national healthcare system. This means investing in trained professionals, accessible counselling, appropriate treatment and public education.
Media organisations and social media users must also recognise their responsibilities. Recording someone in distress and sharing the video for entertainment can cause real harm. People should respect privacy, avoid sharing humiliating content and report material that exploits vulnerable individuals.
We should use social media to educate, encourage understanding and share reliable information, not to turn someone’s suffering into a public spectacle.
I still think about those videos people sent me. I wonder how many others saw them and laughed without considering the person behind the screen.
We cannot know everything someone is going through. We cannot diagnose a stranger from a short video, and we cannot solve every problem ourselves. But we can choose not to make that person’s situation worse.
Somali society often speaks proudly of family, hospitality, religion and helping one another. Those values should also guide how we treat people experiencing mental health difficulties.
If someone is struggling, they deserve understanding rather than insults. If they need professional help, they should be encouraged to seek it. And if we cannot help, the least we can do is avoid making their situation more painful.
Mental illness is not a joke. It is not a TikTok challenge, a source of amusement or a reason to strip someone of their dignity.
The next time a video of someone behaving unusually appears on your phone, pause before laughing or sharing it.
Remember that behind every video is a human being.
We do not have to understand someone’s struggle to show them kindness. Sometimes, the first step towards a more compassionate society is simply learning when not to laugh.
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Liban Hassan Mohamed is a public relations professional and university lecturer.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Dawan Media.