Journals

 

 

 

NEWS LETTER - 2

WORLD ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH

  Vol. I, No. II,  Second Issue, December 1998

http://geocities.com/wiamh2001/

 

 

q        CONTENTS / SOMMAIRE

 

q       Message From the Secretary General / SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE WORLD ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN  BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TUZLA 15-16 AUGUST 1999.

 

q       SUMMARY / RESUMES

 

q       Message From the Secretary General / SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE WORLD ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH IN  BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA TUZLA 15-16 AUGUST 1999.

The World Islamic Association For Mental Health and the International Center For Psychological Trauma of the University of Missouri-Columbia are sponsoring The Second International Conference on Postwar Mental Health Issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina to be held in Tuzla, August 15-16, 1999.  The First International Conference on Post War Mental Health Issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina was held on March 11, and 12, 1996 in Sarayevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The purpose of the conference was to bring together local and international experts in the field of mental health to identify mental health issues prevalent to Bosnia at that time, and to bring together various governmental and non-governmental agencies working with war traumatized children, In Bosnia and Herzegovina.  There was representation from 35 agencies and 40 international experts participated. Recommendations made by that conference were widely distributed to all parties participants and governmental agencies.  Many issues identified and concerns expressed by the participants, unfortunately have come to pass during the following two years.

                Incidence of depression and suicide have increased.  Substance abuse and domestic violence are being reported more frequently among returning soldiers.

                The purpose of the present conference is to bring together international experts in the field of mental health to achieve the following.

1)   Identify and assess prevalence rates of psychiatric disorders among survivors of rape and victims of torture.

2)   Preplanning and planning in process of a mental health plan to meet the current needs of the postwar Mental Health Issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

3)   Evaluation of outcome of the previous International conferences on post war Mental Health Issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina as an integral part of policy making. TUZLA furnishes a classical laboratory situation for the study of Post war Mental Health Issues.  Its people were often repeatedly displaced or interned in camps and either experienced or witnessed rape and / or torture.

In response to our request for members of the world Islamic Association for Mental Health to suggest themes for the Second International conference on Postwar Mental Health Issuess In Bosnia And Herzegovina: to be held in Tuzla 15-16 August 1999 we got the following responses:                    

Some of the themes, which are being suggested, are:

1)   Prognosis of traumatized children:

Will they necessarily develop dissociative identity disorders in their future life? How can we prevent this from happening?

Some pessimist researchers of children with Psychosocial trauma have suggested that: “To be a witness of violence is to be a victim of violence”. Do we find this to be true with traumatized children in Bosnia? Hope not.  However, there is need for a follow-up study.

2)   We also suggest a great need for scientific study to elucidate the transition from individual trauma story to dysfunction of a community.

There is more to this impairment of community life than is explained by the sum of experiences and responses of the individuals composing them.  There is a disruption in the fabric of cultural life that cannot be explained by documenting each singular traumatic story. Thus, Post-traumatic Community Impairment is its own entity, defined by the disruption in cultural norms, in the sense of collective past, present and future, and in the very expectation of social order, in communities suffering the trauma of war, deprivation and forced displacement.  Did this happen in Bosnia? Some research conducted in Kuwait showed the positive effects of traumatization on the community.  The stresses of the Gulf War resulted in more social cohesion.

The key returning to meaningful community life lies in learning how to repair the frayed community life.

3)   Some colleagues suggest that there is a great need for Estimating the Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Bosnian Adults and Children.

It would seem logical that the enormous amount of stress and emotional suffering implied in the Bosnian war would result in an increase of mental illness.  Dr. Arshad Hussein noticed that incidence of depression and suicides have increased.

                However, recently a German Psychoanalyst and existential analyst, Dr. Muller-Eckhard, devoted a book to repressed illness and to what he called “the sof not being able to be sick”, a phenomenon which he illustrated with interesting case studies.

                Repression and inhibition of mental illness may account for certain phenomena for which no satisfactory explanation has been found as yet.  One of them is the decrease of the incidence of mental disease during wars and other big political and social upheavals. It would seem logical that mental illness would significantly increase during wars due to the high amount of stress.  But statistics have definitely shown the reverse.

                Dr. Gamal abou El-Azayem noticed that phobias, anxiety and obsessions decreased during wars. During the Franco-German war of 1870-1871, world war I, world war II and many other wars it has constantly been observed that mental illness decreased in frequency and then climbed back to the peacetime average after the war is over.

                Some colleagues would disagree with this. Although we do not believe in anticipating disaster these colleagues predict that mental illness will increase in Bosnia after the war.  In their letter they predicted a doomsday scenario “ After Trauma is over, there will be more child abuse.  There will be more spouse abuse”.  Reason is, the anger will be turned inwards”.

                However, the above issues have to be assessed by epidemiological studies.

4)   The various responses of our colleagues displayed that there is a great need to promote population based and culturally appropriate means of evaluation and care for traumatized population of Bosnia.  Their conclusions, including reliance on psychoeducation as a basic tool in treatment, focused on realistic, non-stigmatizing, and culturally sensitive interventions.

All Enquiries for Second International Conference on Postwar Mental Health Issues In Bosnia And Herzegovina: should be addressed to:

HIS EXELLENCY

OSMAN SINANOVIC, MD, Ph.d. MINISTER OF HEALTH, TUZLA CANTON

 

TUZLA

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

FAX : ++387 75/282-448

WIAMH    WEBSITE

Congratulations to WIAMH members Submit your e-mail- and let WIAMH update your mental health knowledge for FREE.

You can reach this global service on: http://www.e-wtc.com /emrc/wiamh.htm  

This global service is being carried through English and Arabic as mediums of instruction.  This Is The First Website To Disseminate Mental Health Information Through Arabic: Worldwide.

This project was initiated in 1997 by the president elect of WFMH, Dr. Ahmed Abou El Azayem, to support the establishment of informations services for all the members of EMRC and can be reached on: www.e-wtc/emrc

Dr. Ahmad Abou El-Azayem has to commended for his pioneer efforts. 

DR. GAMAL ABU EL AZAYEM

                       DR. FAROUK EL-SENDIONY