“My liver is bleeding" is a common sentiment expressed by patients at the Alemi Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Afghanistan’s first private mental health clinic, located in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif. It’s a local expression meaning simply: “I am unhappy.” Another patient tells the doctor her heart is tight, to let him know she is sad; others tell him they’re impatient, to say they’re angry. In December 2015, photographer Magda Rakita and writer Mark De Rond travelled to Afghanistan to investigate how more than three decades of war and endemic violence has impacted the nation’s psyche.

Winners of the Afghanistan Journalism Competition, run by BAAG (British & Irish Agencies Afghanistan Group), Magda and Mark spent ten days in Mazar-i-Sharif with the staff and patients at both the Alemi Neuro Psychiatric Hospital and the public hospital, whilst also visiting a local mullah to see their more traditional approach to treating mental health disorders.

Much has been written about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) amongst military personnel deployed to countries like Afghanistan and Iraq.  But little is known about the impact of war and violence on Afghanistan’s own civilian population. As Mark wrote for The Huffington Post on his return, ‘PTSD isn’t more readily diagnosed because some of its symptoms - hyper-arousal, vigilance, and anxiety - are not considered particularly abnormal in Afghanistan, so, perversely, PTSD is nowhere because it is everywhere.’

My Liver is Bleeding presents 16 photographs by Magda Rakita taken during their visit to Afghanistan. It depicts the lives, struggles and hopes of the medical staff, the patients and their families as they attempt to address the mental health issues of a population surrounded by conflict.

Magda Rakita is a documentary photographer based in Cambridge, UK.  She works with the media and NGOs worldwide; her personal projects focus on health and social issues that affect women, children and the older generation. In 2013 Magda successfully completed a MA in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at the London College of Communication, graduating with a distinction. In her work she also employs multimedia and participatory projects.

This exhibition runs from 28 November to 9 December.

Twitter Hashtag for this exhibition: #LSEArts

Just economics and politics? Think again.  While LSE does not teach arts or music, there is a vibrant cultural side to the School - from weekly free music concerts in the Shaw Library, and an LSE orchestra and choir with their own professional conductors, various film, art and photographic student societies, the annual LSE photo prize competition, the LSE Literary Festival and artist-in-residence projects. For more information please view the LSE Arts website.