Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention
185 E 85 Street, New York, NY 10028
Contact: Anie Kalayjian <[email protected]>
ATOP’s Mental Health Outreach Project:
FIRST TEAM REPORTING FROM LEBANON
Dr. Ani Kalayjian and Crystal Barry
The Association for Trauma Outreach and Prevention’s (ATOP) first
Mental Health Outreach Project (MHOP) team, invited by the Lebanese
Psychological Association (LPA) as well as the American University of
Beirut (AUB), arrived safely in Lebanon on May 15th. On the ground,
the team met to review their tight schedule which included a series of
lectures and presentations, a radio interview on the Voice of Van
show, interviews with newspapers, a two-day post disaster humanitarian
outreach training program, and a visit to Nabatieh and Tyre in the
south of Lebanon to assess the traumatic imprint of the recent
Israel-Hezbollah conflict on the children and other survivors in the
area.
Day 1: The first MHOP team toured Beirut to observe both the social
and infrastructural impact of the Lebanon-Israeli conflict. The team
was pleasantly surprised to observe a vibrant and lively community
packed into the restaurants, pubs, beach clubs, night clubs, shops,
and cafes of the area. Even in the drizzling rain and fog, it took
over an hour to find a restaurant that could accommodate the team
because most were already at capacity. The men and women of Beirut,
it seemed, wanted to enjoy the moment in the company of friends and
family. Most remembered all too well being deprived of their everyday
social and personal livelihood in the recent past, and, in conjunction
with the everyday threat of a future war, were left only with the
present in which to enjoy themselves and practice a measure of control
over their lives. In the wake of the conflict last year, one often
heard such expressions as `live each day as if it were your last.’
Day 2: Dr. Ani Kalayjian and Crystal Barry received a warm welcome
from faculty and students at Haigazian University. At AUB, the team
delivered a lecture entitled `Disaster and Mass Trauma: Coping,
Resilience, and Meaning-Making,’ which discussed the
socio-psychological consequences of traumatic experience. At
Haigazian University, Dr. Kalayjian lectured on `The Generational
Transmission of Genocide, War, and Mass Trauma.’ Both lectures were
enthusiastically received by the audience for whom the topics struck a
particularly personal note – the recent history of Lebanon is infected
by the socio-psychological strain of violent conflict. Beginning with
the 1975 civil war that lasted for over 25 years, the Israeli
occupation from 1982 to 2000, the massacres of Qana of 1995, the
assassination of former Prime Minister Hariri in February 2005, the
war between Hezbollah and Israel in the summer of 2006, and the most
recent conflicts between Lebanese political parties, the Lebanese
people know too intimately the destabilized and chaotic nature of life
during war. Remnants of the most recent war and the current political
conflict, such as cluster bombs which remain scattered throughout the
city and country alike. War and violent conflict has become the norm
rather than exception to Lebanese life. It seemed to undercut any hope
for peace and progress, leaving the trauma of a traumatic history and
uncertain future unresolved. Most of the listeners at the lecture
expressed a desire to get as much accomplished as possible before the
inevitable war begins again.
Days 3 and 4: The MHOP team was busy giving an intense two-day
training program in which Dr. Kalayjian’s Biopsychosocial and
Spiritual Model was discussed and implemented with participants from
the audience. The participants were in the difficult position of
attempting to resolve and work through their current trauma when past
traumas remained unresolved and future traumatic events were expected.
When asked to speak about their present condition and experiences, the
majority expressed feelings of helplessness and deep frustration
concerning the perceived lack of Lebanese self-determination in the
face of multiple and conflicting foreign political agendas. Some
participants expressed anger and resentment at regional political
schemes in which they saw Lebanon being used as a pawn in Middle
Eastern power politics. In spite of these feelings of hopelessness,
the participants seemed to sense that catharsis would come with
communication, and exhibited courage and a genuine interest in peace
throughout the session. Preliminary findings from the assessment
showed mild to moderate levels of post trauma symptomatology.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Depression, and Generalized
Anxiety Disorders were discussed and reviewed throughout the training
with a focus on types of traumatic experience. Whether the experience
of western countries was comparable to the Lebanese situation was part
of an open debate. Although the experience of trauma is universal
(typically expressing itself through symptoms such as shock,
disbelief, fear, etc.) there was a recognizable difference between
people who, for example, experienced trauma after 9/11, versus people
who live in a place such as Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, or Palestine,
in which traumatic conflicts are ongoing, extending into the
historical past and (for most participants interviewed) foreseeable
future. It was eventually agreed upon and understood by the MHOP team
and the participants that without peace and a follow-up dialogue for
reconciliation people in Lebanon will not be easily assessed nor fully
recovered.
Days 5-7: The MHOP team traveled to Aleppo and Damascus in Syria to
deliver lectures, meet community leaders, and give interviews. The
streets and markets were full of celebrations as the Syrians
anticipated the re-election of their president Bashar al-Assad on May
25th.
Day 8: As the borders had recently been closed due to new conflicts
that had irrupted in Lebanon, the MHOP team had trouble returning to
Beirut. Once there, the team noticed that the streets, shops and
restaurants were deserted as people feared that the violent attacks
cropping up all around Lebanon would move into the city, which is
actually what happened. It was extremely difficult to travel around
the city due to blockades, police barricades, military tanks, and
check points at almost every corner. The only audible noises were the
bombs and sirens that echoed throughout the city, a complete
transformation from the lively urban atmosphere the team encountered
on their arrival. Again the team had to drive for hours to find a
restaurant, though this time it was not because they were overcrowded
but because they were deserted.
Though the MHOP team felt strongly about the positive impact they had
had on individual Lebanese men and women, as well as on a team of
psychologists, the team was deeply frustrated and dismayed by the
complete lack of much needed dialogue and peace initiatives in the
area. Peace building efforts and reconciliation groups were scarce
and seemed to be eclipsed by the ever-present violence of day-to-day
life in Lebanon. More details regarding South Lebanon and the
continuation of the MHOP mission will follow.