Report No. 226

Psychological Consequences

Victims of attacks do not only undergo severe physical trauma but also undergo traumatic changes in the way they feel and think. Psychological trauma is caused by both the terror victims suffer during the attack, as they feel their skin burning away, and after the attack by the disfigurement or disabilities that they have to live with for the rest of their lives. Victims suffer psychological symptoms such as depression, insomnia, nightmares, fear about another attack and/or fear about facing the outside world, headaches, weakness and tiredness, difficulty in concentrating and remembering things, etc. They feel perpetually depressed, ashamed, worried, and lonely.

Victims suffer severe psychological symptoms for years, if not forever, because they are reminded every day of their physical scars. The feeling of lack of hope and worth may never leave them.