Said Benjebli’s death sparks tough questions about mental health and stigma in Morocco

The death of controversial public figure Said Benjebli left many shaken. But behind the headlines and debates was a man quietly battling a much deeper struggle: bipolar disorder.

Thursday, news broke from Boston, where Benjebli had been living, confirming that he had taken his own life.

In a letter he wrote before his death, Benjebli shared his pain, his apologies to loved ones, and his final wish—for understanding. “The illness killed me,” he wrote. “Or rather, made me kill myself.”

While tributes poured in from friends and colleagues, so did online hate. Some mocked his death. Others accused him of faking it. A few even suggested that his atheism was to blame. But in between the noise, a more important truth emerged: Morocco still struggles to talk honestly about mental health.

As one social media user put it, “Underdeveloped societies do not show mercy to people during their periods of mental illness… Mocking them or expelling them from family or work environments are things that can destroy them.”

But amidst the noise, voices of compassion, condemning the cold-heartedness and reminding people of the human cost of stigma.

“The amount of mental illnesses among those reacting ‘HAHA’ on this death post is even more severe than Benjebli’s illness,” wrote one user.

Another added, “Even if you disagree with someone and they haven’t harmed you in any way, it is a human, ethical, and religious duty to ask for mercy and forgiveness for them… not mock or laugh when they are sick and suffering.”

Bipolar disorder is not simply being “moody.” It’s a chronic illness that causes extreme highs and lows—mania and depression—that can lead to a complete breakdown of one’s ability to function.

Said lived with this illness for more than a decade, often in silence. His story is, sadly, not unique.

According to official data , nearly half of Moroccans aged 15 and over suffer from some form of mental illness.

Depression affects more than a quarter of the population. Yet the country still lacks a national suicide registry. And stigma remains a massive barrier to treatment.

Experts say that the problem runs deep. “Even today, many people believe mental illness is a shameful secret, something caused by jinn or witchcraft. Patients are often isolated—even by their own families.”

Between 2017 and 2021, nearly 45% of rural suicide cases in Morocco involved individuals suffering from mental disorders. But too often, society blames them instead of supporting them.

What hurts more than Benjebli’s death, some say, is the reaction it received.

“What truly hurts is not just his departure,” wrote one commenter, “but the way people received it: with mockery, arguments, and coldness.”

In the end, Said Benjebli’s story is not only about his activism or his beliefs, but about how we, as a society, treat the vulnerable—especially when they suffer silently. His final message was not about politics, but about pain, and a plea for compassion.

In his farewell letter, Benjebli spoke of the sorrow and shame he believed his illness and death would bringhe believed his illness and death would bring to his loved ones.

“I especially apologize to my son, whom I left when he was still a child,” he wrote, “and to my mother and siblings, and to my extended family, for the sorrow and shame I have caused them.” He added, “I apologize to all the friends, brothers, and acquaintances who may feel embarrassed or distressed by my death.”

His words reflect a brutal emotional weight that people living with mental illness often carry— not just the burden of suffering, but the fear of being a burden.

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