Iranians live in a war zone. The attacks of Israel and America are targeting not only Tehran, but many places in the whole country. Shortly before the start of the war, people took to the streets to demonstrate against the dictatorial regime. The Islamic Republic brutally oppressed its citizens, whose protests for freedom and democracy cost thousands of lives.
Iranians live within the constraints imposed by a government that tolerates little deviation from its interpretation of Islam. It dictates what women are allowed to wear in public, and the slightest deviation can be severely punished. In addition, the sanctions on Iran make the economic situation difficult for many people in this country.
What effect does this kind of constant stress have on a person’s mental health?
Increased alertness increases the risk of mental illness
“Incidence of mental health conditions – especially post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders and depression – is high among people who have been chronically exposed to violence,” says Dana Chorbaji, a psychologist at the University of Münster in Germany, on the impact of conflict and displacement on mental health.
When it comes to influential individuals, “perceptions can change about how safe the world is and how people view their lives.”
A person suffering from cold, fear or hunger has a very low stress tolerance, and small conflicts and disagreements in personal life escalate quickly. For those living with existential uncertainty — such as power outages, food shortages, or the loss of digital communications — basic needs come first, according to Cherbaji.
The psychologist told DW: “When these basic needs are not met, violence in the family increases. “It hurts the social relationships that are actually the number one factor in resilience.”
In other words, people who have stable social relationships, who are trustworthy people, have a lower risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If this protective factor is not present, the risk of developing the condition increases.
When does post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develop?
In a highly stressful situation, most people do not have PTSD symptoms because their brains are in survival mode. When they flee their homeland to protect themselves and their loved ones, they focus on the immediate emergency. PTSD usually only develops later, Chorbaji explained.
“When the brain is trying to come to terms with the past, PTSD symptoms appear. And these symptoms can get in the way of a person’s efforts to rebuild their well-being after the refugee experience,” she said.
What are the symptoms of PTSD?
People with post-traumatic stress disorder often have the following behaviors and symptoms:
• Refusing to think about the experience
• Extreme reactions to certain stimuli (eg, hiding under the table when the fire breaks out)
• Flashbacks: For those affected, the memories feel like painful experiences replaying. It is also called an intrusive reminder that cannot be resisted
• Change in mindset, leaning towards mistrust and hatred
• Intense feelings of guilt, called “savior’s guilt.”
• Sleep disturbances and difficulty concentrating
Cherbaji says that in an environment where affected people can’t talk openly about mental health issues, mental stress can also manifest physically, in the form of headaches, backaches, menstrual cramps or fatigue.
Effects of ongoing stress in Iran
It also makes a difference whether a person has experienced a traumatic event, such as an assault, or has lived with war and violence for a long time. “Political Pursuit [of dissidents] This has been going on in Iran for a long time. “Protests against the regime have become more frequent and violent,” clinical psychologist Rita Rosner told DW. Iranians are directly affected by this chronically painful situation.
This ongoing fight-or-flight mode can be a greater source of stress than experiencing a one-time traumatic experience, such as a serious car accident. “One time events are less likely to trigger stress reactions,” says the professor at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. “With everyone [traumatic] The event that adds to the mix, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder are more likely.”
Chorbaji also notes that a cluster of traumatic experiences — such as those experienced by people in a war zone — are dangerous, “especially when multiple areas of life are affected.” Those who experience domestic violence and sexual harassment at work, in addition to bombings and political repression, for example, are particularly vulnerable to PTSD.
What helps people who have experienced trauma?
Conditions such as PTSD can be treated with psychosocial support. This includes group or individual therapy with mental health professionals. But the social environment can also play a supportive role. Chorbazi said local doctors, teachers and religious leaders are being trained to help their patients and those who care for them with trauma.
When in-person help isn’t available—for safety reasons, or if there aren’t enough experts on site—online resources are also available. Rosner cited the World Health Organization (WHO) as an example. Under the heading “Problem Management Plus”. The World Health Organization provides a document in 23 languages to help people cope with stressful situations.
These steps may reduce the symptoms but none of these methods can remove the traumatic experiences of the war from memory.
“You can’t assume that what happened can be undone,” Cherbaji says. “But most people can lead full lives again.”
This article was originally published in German.
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