The conflict in Israel is entering its fourth day, with thousands of people caught up in the fighting zone.
Hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,000 Israelis and Palestinians have been injured since Saturday, when the militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack by air, land and sea, authorities said.
Some residents of villages and towns along the Gaza border have been forced to hide in air raid shelters, while others have sought refuge in other parts of Israel or even neighboring countries.
Global health experts and psychologists said that people caught up in such conflict zones not only suffer physical harm, but also take a toll on their mental health.
“When we think about the trauma of war and conflict zones, we remember that what war brings is the convergence or realization of all our worst nightmares of loss and fear for our own lives and the lives of others. “The loss of a loved one, the damage to one’s body, the loss of control, and the loss of a familiar anchor in daily life,” says Dr. McConlogue, a child and adult psychoanalyst and director of the Yale School of Child Studies. said Center Professor Dr. Stephen Marans. ABC News. “Thus, the symptoms we see here reflect some of the enormous effects of sudden, unexpected threats and the realization of nightmarish scenarios during wartime.”
Impact on human health
There is physical risk It goes beyond the obvious for people living in combat zones, such as inhaling smoke and ash from fires and blasts, which can affect the nose and lungs.
Dr. Yubidul Haq, assistant professor of global health at the Rutgers Institute for Global Health, has researched how living in wartime and other conflict environments affects human health.in him Research on the war between Ukraine and RussiaFor example, this has been ongoing since February 2022, and we have also discovered effects on physical health that may not be obvious at first glance.
“They don’t have access to medicine, food, water, electricity or heat,” he told ABC News. “As you know, during the war, energy infrastructure was destroyed, and our research has shown that many people suffered cold injuries that could lead to permanent disability.”
Additionally, people suffering from illness, malnutrition, injury and sexual violence in conflict settings may find it difficult to access medical care if hospitals close, he said.
Impact on mental health
According to research, the situation of people living in combat zones is as follows: increasing risk It helps resolve a myriad of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more.
Marans said the public often underestimates the mental health challenges of being caught in a combat zone, due to fears such as the possibility of being injured or disabled.
“This is one of the costs of armed conflict,” he says. “Not only the destruction of buildings and loss of life, which is scary enough, but also the impact on whole communities of young and old people and the risk to their subsequent ability to function and live more freely and happily. Same thing. Significantly at risk.”
Angelica Díaz Martinez, Ph.D., a professor at Rutgers University School of Applied Psychology, told ABC News that people react to trauma in different ways, with some acting more stoically and others having less control over their emotions. He said he was there.
She said: “For people who live in a state of limbo, having anxiety about what will happen, what will happen, trying to predict what will happen, these are all things that people have been doing for a long time in the past. It will have an impact on the.” trauma. ”
Additionally, if adults find it difficult to understand what is happening and make sense of the conflict, children and adolescents may find it especially difficult.
“If children are potty trained, there may be some regression in them in that they can have accidents,” Diaz Martinez said. “There is a fear that people will leave, which can lead to more attachment, anger and emotional dysregulation.”
Experts added that being caught up in a combat zone can be particularly difficult for people with pre-existing mental illnesses, who may have difficulty getting medication or seeing a doctor. .
Still, Diaz-Martinez and Marans said there is hope that those affected can recover from the trauma. Methods include establishing a routine to feel normal and talking to someone if possible. Parents should talk with their children and listen to their concerns.
