[JTA] Dina Kraft - Dozens of group therapy sessions for Israeli soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after the war with Hizbullah two years ago are a sign of the progress Israel has made in reducing the stigma traditionally associated with PTSD in Israeli society. Even public service announcements on the radio urge war veterans who suffer from trauma symptoms - difficulty sleeping or concentrating and problems interacting with family and friends - to call a help hot-line. Miri Shalit, who supervises the Defense Ministry's Tel Aviv rehabilitation department, says patients are encouraged to recount in detail the traumas they endured so they can begin to process the events and overcome them - for better success in treating PTSD. The concept, based on years of research conducted in Israel and abroad, is to debrief as soon as possible after the traumatic event in a safe place away from the battlefield. In providing a supportive framework within the soldiers' units to discuss traumatic incidents soon after they happen, the focus is on preventing PTSD, said a senior army psychologist.
2008-08-21 08:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive