A guide to maintaining mental health during wartime

The psyche of a human being is tremendously vulnerable to any stressful events or conflicts like wartime. History has witnessed many hard times when authorities or governments have taken decisions to launch wars, putting a severely traumatic burden on the shoulders of all humanity, whether civilians or soldiers. 

The brutal war launched by the Israeli occupation on the innocent civilians of Gaza, leading to the deaths and injury of thousands, is and will impact the mental health of the whole world in general, and especially those who are being exposed to the cruelty of the war.

In modern history, a great deal of fear and emotional disorder resulted from similar terrible and unusual events. 

Shell Shock 

During World War I, “shell shock” was becoming a serious medical and military issue by the winter of 1914-15. Not only did it impact a growing number of front-line soldiers fighting, but British Army physicians also found it difficult to diagnose and treat the illness.

The soldiers themselves coined the term “shell shock” to refer to symptoms like fatigue, trembling, disorientation, nightmares, and hearing and vision impairments. When a soldier was unable to function and no clear cause could be found, he was frequently diagnosed with shell shock, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 

In a study published by Taylor & Francis Online, the Second World War was arguably the most horrific event that many of the oldest people around the globe had to endure. Over 60 million people died in WWII. It was a horrific tragedy. Worldwide, millions of people worked in the medical field or the military forces, and millions more civilians were impacted by the conflict. Severe traumatic events, including warfare, injury, bombardment, displacement, starvation, and rape, were experienced by a large number of war survivors. Consequently, a huge number suffered from what is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a more modern term than shell shock.  

The US Department of Veterans Affairs defines PTSD as a mental health condition that occurs after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening incident. The individual continues to fight even after the conflicts are over. They suffer from sadness, nightmares, and flashbacks. 

While we stay informed and hope that the current war launched by the Israeli occupation comes to an end soon, it is critical to have the skills and knowledge required to maintain a stable mental state. The moment-by-moment following of the news, especially videos that contain violent and inhuman acts, has significant negative impacts on our mental health

How do war videos affect our mental health?

Dr. Inas Elgazzar, a therapist and performance enhancement coach, told Jusoor Post that our brains store a trauma with every violent video we watch, and the trauma varies according to how sensitive the person is. 

“There are very sensitive people who absorb the physical, mental, and emotional state of those who suffer in Gaza,” Elgazzar said, adding, “This is very dangerous, because those types of people may suffer from PTSD.”

She said that the more sensitive the person is, the more he/she is not able to perform his/her daily activities normally because he/she bears the burden of those victims in Gaza. They even feel guilty because they are alive and can easily access the basics of life while Gazans cannot. 

“Some are so possessed by guilt to the extent that they stop eating or drinking in some severe cases,” she added. 

Elgazzar did not deny the common feeling of despair, paralysis, weakness, and inability to help those victims who need us in Gaza. 

On the other hand, some question God’s ability to interfere and stop this injustice, and they disregard the fact that it is universal norms that are recurrent in history, and God has a plan for everything. 

How can we maintain our mental health during wartime? 

When asked about ways to preserve our mental health during the current conflict, Elgazzar answered that faith and belief are the most powerful tools. 

“Such trials are spiritual steps that get us closer to God, not the opposite,” she said. 

She stressed that reading the Quran is very effective in reinforcing our faith and persistence, knowing that God has His own wisdom in every event. She mentioned that even non-Muslims who have recently started to read the Quran since the beginning of the events in Gaza find comfort in it because it speaks about the current reality. 

She added that people should stop watching videos that contain very violent and brutal acts, because it is not helping but rather harms our emotional balance. She recommended to stay updated about what is going on without watching these videos. 

“People can follow the news and track the current events through websites, newspapers, or any written or audio sources,” Elgazzar advised, adding that “we should keep away from the visuals as much as possible.” 

In order to overcome the feeling of guilt, she said people can do what they have the ability to do right now such as volunteering, giving charity, or praying. 

“Since the state of hopelessness prevails, it is important to visualize the victory and freedom of Gaza and its steady people. Mind and faith are powerful and can perform miracles,” she added.