A primary care doctor in Cuba has summed up the profound emotional toll she witnesses among her patients during the country's ongoing crisis with a simple phrase: "There used to be hope."
"Now, people have lost exactly that," stated Dr. Yomeidis Felicó Riverón in an interview with the AP, highlighting the psychological burden of the current situation.
Dr. Felicó Riverón noted that patients come to her not only with physical ailments but also seeking an outlet for their emotional distress, brought on by daily challenges such as power outages, shortages, and struggles to meet basic needs.
"They come to pour out their troubles because who else will listen?" she said. "We have to play the role of psychologists to some extent."
Psychological Strain Evident in Recent Studies
Recent research backs up these observations. A 2026 study published in Social Science & Medicine, which surveyed 415 Cuban adults between July and November 2025, revealed that 55.4% experienced extremely severe depression, while 66% suffered from severe anxiety, and 65.8% faced extreme stress.
Cubans are under pressure from a variety of sources: extended power cuts, limited access to water, fuel shortages, deteriorating housing, and severe transportation issues in a country that has seen significant emigration over recent years.
Compounding these issues is the decline in health conditions. The U.S. Embassy in Havana recently issued two public health alerts. On August 28, the embassy warned that "Cuba's water supply infrastructure is increasingly unstable," leaving some neighborhoods without service for extended periods.
On September 4, the embassy also alerted to a rise in gastrointestinal diseases, including infections from E. coli, norovirus, and Shigella, linked to the "degradation of water and energy infrastructure."
Parents Struggling Under Pressure
The psychological impact is particularly hard on parents, who often strive to shield their children from the family's hardships.
Dr. Felicó Riverón shared her efforts to keep her son unaware of food shortages at home. "My son doesn't know if there's food or not," she explained, attempting to distract him with games or outings.
Dianne Tamayo, another mother interviewed by the AP, broke down in tears as she recounted years of repressed emotions without a way to release them.
"I try to do the best with the tools I have, but there comes a point where it overwhelms me," she admitted.
Her stark description of the situation added, "They're exterminating us. And we remain complacent."
The scarcity of medications further exacerbates the situation. In 2025, Health Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda acknowledged an unprecedented structural crisis in the healthcare system, marked by only 30% availability of essential medications and widespread deterioration of medical services.
Daily Survival Amidst Crisis
The AP report also depicts how this exhaustion manifests in daily life.
Oscar Joaquín López, 81, spends part of his nights sitting in his doorway, seeking a breeze with a steel pipe nearby for protection against potential intruders.
His approach to despair is endurance: "Because you'll go crazy, and I'm not letting anyone make me crazy."
Armando Lafita, 60, walks through Old Havana pushing a cart filled with bouquets of roses and white butterflies, selling them for mere cents. Some days he returns home without selling any.
"Everyone here fights to survive," he stated. "Every day it gets harder."
Amidst this bleak landscape, family ties emerge as one of the few anchors. Lafita finds strength thinking of his 19-year-old son, while José Manuel Borroto Díaz, 70, draws support from his 93-year-old mother.
"The situation we're in is like a movie, but we'll keep moving forward," Borroto assured.
The mental health crisis in Cuba is advancing alongside material shortages and the decline of basic services.
Yet among all these accounts, Dr. Felicó Riverón's warning perhaps captures the most profound consequence of years of crisis: it is no longer just about living with less electricity, water, food, or medicine, but about a population increasingly exhausted, losing even the hope that the situation will improve.
Understanding Cuba's Mental Health Crisis
What factors are contributing to the mental health crisis in Cuba?
The mental health crisis in Cuba is driven by prolonged power outages, water shortages, fuel scarcity, housing and transportation issues, and a declining healthcare system.
How are parents in Cuba coping with the crisis?
Parents in Cuba are struggling to protect their children from the crisis, often hiding food shortages and trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy through distractions like games and outings.
What recent health alerts have been issued by the U.S. Embassy in Havana?
The U.S. Embassy in Havana recently warned about the instability of Cuba's water supply infrastructure and a rise in gastrointestinal diseases, linked to the degradation of water and energy facilities.