PTSD Are We Doing Enough
I was reading an article today which states that there have been 20 suicide attempts since the Grenfell Tower tragedy. On some level, this does not surprise me. Many of the residents of the tower lost everything they had in the blaze and of course that can lead to despair. However, these reports of attempted suicide are not simply from the residents, but also from witnesses to the blaze.
Though these figures cannot be independently verified, it should be taken quite seriously. Grenfell is quite simply a traumatic event. Many people who are exposed to trauma, experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the aftermath. PTSD, was originally discovered in the First World War when it was referred to as Shell Shock. This is where soldiers became unable to function due to the horrors they experienced in combat.
There have been countless examples of events lately which have scarred those involved with them (and even some who were not directly effected). Physical assistance is of course necessary in these instances. However, we as a society, must consider that there is a greater and greater need for psychological assistance in these tragedies. There is no point in trying to deny that these events cause great distress, it is now time that we do more than we are currently doing to help those who are suffering from the horror of post traumatic stress.
