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...