At the present, we all face, experience, and see a wide range of behaviors in response to our global wars (Ukraine and Israel-Hamas), pandemics (COVID-19) and the mostly national rather than international, mass shootings. Our responses range from horror to shame, from terror to overwhelming anger and sadness. Understanding the feelings, actions and thoughts—and memories they stir—can help us intervene. Healing may be an over stated goal. Forgiving, for some, may not be possible. Return to “normal” is never an option. Disasters such as these set a new baseline of life. We help our patients recover but not to forget; to reengage with those around them and moderate emotions and thoughts. With Nations and communities what are the helpful group, legal and international tools to do the same?
In this volume of Psychiatry we re-publish important papers on one particular human response, panic, along with a thoughtful commentary by Dr. Joshua Morganstein, Chair of the Disaster Committee of the American Psychiatric Association. Panic is not as common as one may believe, but often is used as a term to describe our immediate responses. All of these papers are worth reviewing, to help us help others as well as ourselves. Below are resources, in multiple languages, that may be helpful to those seeking help and to those seeking to recover from these disasters.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Ukraine – https://www.cstsonline.org/resources/resource-master-list/war-in-ukraine-mental-health-resources
Israel-Hamas War – https://www.cstsonline.org/resources/resource-master-list/202310-israel-hamas-war-mental-health-resources
Mass Shootings- https://www.cstsonline.org/resources/resource-master-list/202310-maine-community-shootings-resources-to-support-community-recovery
National Child Traumatic Stress Network - https://www.nctsn.org/resources/all-nctsn-resources
The Mental Health Consequences of War - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1472271/
Coping with Traumatic Events - https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/coping-with-traumatic-events
National Center for PTSD: PTSD Family Coach: Living with someone with PTSD - https://www.ptsd.va.gov/appvid/mobile/familycoach_app.asp