Traumatic stress in times of war: a shared responsibility for health professionals.
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| Title: | Traumatic stress in times of war: a shared responsibility for health professionals. |
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| Alternate Title: | Estrés traumático en tiempos de guerra: una responsabilidad compartida por los profesionales de la salud. |
| Authors: | Kerbage, Hala (AUTHOR), Alisic, Eva (AUTHOR), Sijbrandij, Marit (AUTHOR), Frankova, Iryna (AUTHOR), Purper-Ouakil, Diane (AUTHOR), Bui, Eric (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology. Dec2025, Vol. 16 Issue 1, p1-3. 3p. |
| Subjects: | War, Mental health, Government policy, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Medical personnel, Post-traumatic stress, Pressure groups, Social injustice |
| Abstract (English): | Background: Armed conflicts continue to inflict profound human suffering, dismantling health systems, displacing populations, and leaving lasting psychological scars. Although war is rooted in political and geopolitical dynamics, its consequences manifest daily in the clinical and ethical dilemmas faced by health professionals. Objective: This editorial calls for a greater ethical and professional commitment from mental health professionals – particularly those in safer contexts – to address the psychological, systemic, and societal impacts of war. Method: Drawing from current evidence in traumatic stress, humanitarian law, and global health, we examine the multilayered consequences of armed conflict, including PTSD, depression, grief, and intergenerational trauma. We reflect on the responsibilities of trauma specialists in times of political violence and mass displacement. Results: The psychological toll of war is amplified by the collapse of support systems, obstruction of care, and direct targeting of healthcare workers. Mental health professionals possess unique expertise not only in treatment, but also in advocacy, education, and testimony. However, trauma care often remains confined to clinical settings, disconnected from policy and public discourse. This editorial emphasises that silence – particularly from those in positions of relative safety – is not neutral, but complicit. Conclusions: There is a professional and ethical imperative for trauma specialists to move beyond the treatment room. This includes amplifying the voices of affected communities, informing policy with trauma-informed evidence, and confronting the systemic injustices that perpetuate violence. Upholding the core values of care, dignity, and justice requires a broader, more engaged response: not only to the aftermath of trauma, but to the structures that produce and sustain it. HIGHLIGHTS: War is a major driver of traumatic stress and systemic health breakdown. Silence from health professionals reinforces the normalisation of violence. Trauma experts have a duty to engage in advocacy, education, and policy reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Spanish): | Antecedentes: Los conflictos armados siguen infligiendo un profundo sufrimiento humano, desmantelando los sistemas de salud, desplazando poblaciones y dejando secuelas psicológicas duraderas. Si bien, la guerra tiene sus raíces en dinámicas políticas y geopolíticas, sus consecuencias se manifiestan a diario en los dilemas clínicos y éticos que enfrentan los profesionales de la salud. Objetivo: Este editorial exige un mayor compromiso ético y profesional de los profesionales de la salud mental, en particular de aquellos en contextos más seguros, para abordar los impactos psicológicos, sistémicos y sociales de la guerra. Método: A partir de la evidencia actual sobre estrés traumático, derecho humanitario y salud global, examinamos las múltiples consecuencias de los conflictos armados, incluyendo el TEPT, la depresión, el duelo y el trauma intergeneracional. Reflexionamos sobre las responsabilidades de los especialistas en trauma en tiempos de violencia política y desplazamientos masivos. Resultados: El impacto psicológico de la guerra se ve amplificado por el colapso de los sistemas de apoyo, la obstrucción de la atención y la persecución directa del personal sanitario. Los profesionales de la salud mental poseen una experiencia única no solo en el tratamiento, sino también en la defensa, la educación y el testimonio. Sin embargo, la atención a los traumas a menudo permanece confinada al ámbito clínico, desconectada de las políticas y el discurso público. Este editorial enfatiza que el silencio, en particular el de quienes ocupan puestos de relativa seguridad, no es neutral, sino cómplice. Conclusiones: Los especialistas en trauma tienen el imperativo ético y profesional de salir de la sala de tratamiento. Esto incluye amplificar las voces de las comunidades afectadas, fundamentar las políticas con evidencia basada en el trauma y confrontar las injusticias sistémicas que perpetúan la violencia. Defender los valores fundamentales de cuidado, dignidad y justicia requiere una respuesta más amplia y comprometida: no solo a las secuelas del trauma, sino también a las estructuras que lo generan y lo sustentan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Abstract: | Background: Armed conflicts continue to inflict profound human suffering, dismantling health systems, displacing populations, and leaving lasting psychological scars. Although war is rooted in political and geopolitical dynamics, its consequences manifest daily in the clinical and ethical dilemmas faced by health professionals. Objective: This editorial calls for a greater ethical and professional commitment from mental health professionals – particularly those in safer contexts – to address the psychological, systemic, and societal impacts of war. Method: Drawing from current evidence in traumatic stress, humanitarian law, and global health, we examine the multilayered consequences of armed conflict, including PTSD, depression, grief, and intergenerational trauma. We reflect on the responsibilities of trauma specialists in times of political violence and mass displacement. Results: The psychological toll of war is amplified by the collapse of support systems, obstruction of care, and direct targeting of healthcare workers. Mental health professionals possess unique expertise not only in treatment, but also in advocacy, education, and testimony. However, trauma care often remains confined to clinical settings, disconnected from policy and public discourse. This editorial emphasises that silence – particularly from those in positions of relative safety – is not neutral, but complicit. Conclusions: There is a professional and ethical imperative for trauma specialists to move beyond the treatment room. This includes amplifying the voices of affected communities, informing policy with trauma-informed evidence, and confronting the systemic injustices that perpetuate violence. Upholding the core values of care, dignity, and justice requires a broader, more engaged response: not only to the aftermath of trauma, but to the structures that produce and sustain it. HIGHLIGHTS: War is a major driver of traumatic stress and systemic health breakdown. Silence from health professionals reinforces the normalisation of violence. Trauma experts have a duty to engage in advocacy, education, and policy reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 20008066 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/20008066.2025.2565117 |
