Still the Best Medicine, Even in a War Zone

2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amnon Raviv

In recent years medical clowning has been an effective tool used in the treatment of people suffering from acute and post-traumatic stress disorder in war zones and in the wake of natural disasters. Clown Doctors in the Barzilai Medical Center in southern Israel, near the Gaza border, encounter ASD/PTSD patients from both sides of the conflict.

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Detweiler ◽  
Bhuvaneshwar Pagadala ◽  
Joseph Candelario ◽  
Jennifer Boyle ◽  
Jonna Detweiler ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-222
Author(s):  
Nandang Rusmana ◽  
Anne Hafina ◽  
Dodi Suryana

Background: This study was motivated by the failure of coping and adaptation to traumatic experiences that cause a wide, deep, and long-term snowball effect that may not be reversible. Objective: This study aims to test the effectiveness of the implementation of group play therapy in dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) victims of natural disasters in three provinces in Indonesia. Materials and Methods: The study employed an explanatory mixed methods design. The procedures and steps taken in this study refer to the research and development cycle. The subjects and objects of the study were 106 male and 92 female preadolescent students of junior high school in three provinces in Indonesia. Results: Traumatic counselling through group play therapy techniques has the effect of reducing post-traumatic stress disorder on victims of the tsunami disaster in three provinces in Indonesia. The first study conducted in Lombok West Nusa Tenggara province obtained the results of the calculation of the value μ2 = 0.021 for the value of μ1> 0.05. The second study in Palu, Central Sulawesi Province obtained the results of the calculation of the value of μ2 = 0.018 for the value of μ1> 0.05, and the third study in Anyer, Banten province obtained the results of the calculation of the value of µ2 = 0.011 for the value of µ1 > 0.05. Conclusion: Teaching and practising the skills of traumatic counselling using using Group Play Therapy can handle PTSD victims of natural disasters that significantly change victims.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 65-85
Author(s):  
Kristia Novia ◽  
Tita Hariyanti ◽  
Laily Yuliatun

Natural disasters are still a matter of the world until today. The events pose not only physical impact but also psychological impacts that leave deep sorrow and fear. The survivors of the disaster felt they were at a very unsettled condition, felt very fearful, felt agitated for uncertain circumstances, and became very easily panicked until they could experience anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This systematic review aims to identify the impact–effects often posed by natural disasters on the soul health of survivors. Data searching is done on the Proquest, Pubmed, Science Direct, Sage, and Scopus databases that were converged in the 2013 to 2019 ranges. The psychological impact experienced by the victims after natural disaster events are depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fear, suicide experiments, and other mental health disorders such as mood changes and a loss of interest in an activity. Natural disasters can hurt the mental health of the victims. If the psychological problems that occur to the victims are not immediately addressed, the victims will fall on more mental severe disorder conditions.


2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Hermes ◽  
M. Sernyak ◽  
R. Rosenheck

Background.Prior studies of antipsychotic use in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are limited because administrative data lacks information on why providers choose particular medications.Methods.This study examined 2613 provider surveys completed at the time any second generation antipsychotic (SGA) was prescribed over a 20-month period at a single Veterans Affairs medical center. Clinical correlates and reasons for SGA selection among individuals with PTSD compared to those with other psychiatric disorders were identified using chi-square.Results.PTSD was the sole diagnosis in n = 339 (13%) and one of several psychiatric diagnoses in n = 236 (9%) surveys. ‘Efficacy’ was the most common reason given for the prescriptions of SGAs in all surveys (51%) and among individuals with PTSD (46%). ‘Sleep/sedation’ was the only reason cited, significantly more frequently among those with PTSD (39% with PTSD only, 35% with PTSD plus another diagnosis, and 31% without PTSD [χ2 = 12.86, p < 0.0016)]. The proportion identifying ‘efficacy’ as a reason for SGA use was smaller in patients with PTSD (44% with PTSD only, 49% with PTSD and another diagnosis, and 53% without PTSD [χ2 = 8.78, p < 0.0125)]. Quetiapine was the most frequently prescribed SGA in the entire sample and among veterans with PTSD (47%).Conclusions.Clinician use of SGAs is often driven by efficacy, for which there is limited evidence, and distinctly driven by the goal of sedation among patients with PTSD.


CNS Spectrums ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert N. McLay ◽  
Jennifer Webb-Murphy ◽  
Paul Hammer ◽  
Stacy Volkert ◽  
Warren Klam

IntroductionRisk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) varies in part due to the nature of the traumatic event involved. Both injury and return from combat pose high risk of PTSD symptoms. How different injuries may predispose towards PTSD is less well understood.MethodsA retrospective record review was conducted from 1402 service members who had returned to Naval Medical Center San Diego from Iraq or Afghanistan and who had completed the PTSD Checklist as part of their post-deployment screening. Rates of PTSD were examined in relation to mechanism of injury.ResultsOf those without injury, 8% met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual criteria for PTSD. Thirteen percent of those with a penetrating injury, 29% with blunt trauma, and 33% with combination injuries met criteria for PTSD. PTSD severity scores varied significantly according to type of injury.DiscussionThe World War I concept of “shell shock” implied that blast-related injuries were more likely to result in psychological symptoms than were other injuries. These data may support that idea. Circumstance of injury, population differences, and reporting bias could also have influenced the results.ConclusionThese results suggest that service members with blunt or combination injuries merit particular attention when screening for PTSD.


2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-201
Author(s):  
Clark C. Barrett

Despite the best efforts of the U.S. military, incidents of suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the ranks continue unabated. This article examines the impact of self-imposed technological isolation as a potential contributor to this problem.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madhawy Abdulaziz Almeshaal

The paper at hand attempts to interpret a female war journalist’s, the protagonist’s, Sarah Goodwin’s, decision to return to war zones after surviving a near-death experience in Time Stands Still, by Donald Margulies, (2010). The play starts with the protagonist’s strong assertion that she is endangering her life working in different war zones just to help the victims of wars by showing the world pictures of their suffering. After surviving a deadly road-bomb accident, Sarah Goodwin decided to settle down at home and never return to dangerous zones. However, after six months of recovery, this female war journalist decided to return to war zones. The present study finds it intriguing to speculate on Sarah Goodwin’s determination to return to such zones at such a time of her life. Through consulting some aspects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and different aspects of Jacques Lacan’s words on photography, lack, and absence, the present study concludes that the protagonist’s desire to go back to war zones does not just help show the world pictures of wars victims’ suffering, but it helps the protagonist construct her own identity. Photography/war journalism becomes a medium through which Sarah Goodwin asserts her identity as a human being as she cannot fulfill her feminine role as a nurturer in a patriarchal society. The audience realizes that through photography, the protagonist projects her sense of lack and pain and attempts to attain some sense of wholeness.


Author(s):  
Madhawy Abdulaziz Almeshaal

The paper at hand attempts to interpret a female war journalist’s, the protagonist’s, Sarah Goodwin’s, decision to return to war zones after surviving a near-death experience in Time Stands Still, by Donald Margulies, (2010). The play starts with the protagonist’s strong assertion that she is endangering her life working in different war zones just to help the victims of wars by showing the world pictures of their suffering. After surviving a deadly road-bomb accident, Sarah Goodwin decided to settle down at home and never return to dangerous zones. However, after six months of recovery, this female war journalist decided to return to war zones. The present study finds it intriguing to speculate on Sarah Goodwin’s determination to return to such zones at such a time of her life. Through consulting some aspects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and different aspects of Jacques Lacan’s words on photography, lack, and absence, the present study concludes that the protagonist’s desire to go back to war zones does not just help show the world pictures of wars victims’ suffering, but it helps the protagonist construct her own identity. Photography/war journalism becomes a medium through which Sarah Goodwin asserts her identity as a human being as she cannot fulfill her feminine role as a nurturer in a patriarchal society. The audience realizes that through photography, the protagonist projects her sense of lack and pain and attempts to attain some sense of wholeness.


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