A new study conducted by Geocartography on the Paamonei Lua (Wind Chimes) organization reveals that it is the country hardest hit in Israel by the Oct. 7 massacre in the south by Hamas terrorists and the resulting Hamas war. The victims were women and young people. Institute.
The survey found that 67% felt psychological damage as a result of the war. In this connection, it should be noted that the damage is similar between Israel’s Jewish and Arab populations. It also shows that one in five Israelis and one in four women and young people are interested in or have already started mental health treatment.
The survey was conducted in the second week of February among 402 respondents aged 18 and over, a representative sample of Israel’s entire population. According to the survey, 67% of respondents said they had experienced psychological damage from the war.
Eight percent of respondents said they had already begun mental health treatment since the war began. A total of 13% of respondents said they were interested in mental therapy but had not started yet. Approximately 46% of respondents said they felt psychological damage after the war, but were not interested in mental health care.
This was particularly true for women, with 84% of female respondents saying they had experienced psychological harm, and 24% saying they had already sought or were interested in seeking psychological help. .
In contrast, only half of the men reported psychological harm, and only 19% were interested in or started psychotherapy. Another group that has reported significant psychological damage as a result of war is young people aged 18 to 34.
Among young people, 71% reported psychological harm. A quarter are interested in or have already started mental therapy. In contrast, only 46% of people aged 55 and older reported psychological harm, and only 10% of them were interested in or started treatment.
Although signs read “Together we will win!” researchers said they did not see a growing sense of solidarity with other sectors. A surprising phenomenon that emerged from the survey is that Israelis have not developed any sense of solidarity with groups considered vulnerable, such as women, children, and the elderly.
These groups appear to have been under significant social pressure to be the first to be released from Hamas captivity. When asked, “Has the war affected your solidarity with your children?” only about 52% answered yes. 46% of respondents answered that it had not changed, and about 2% said that it had decreased. 48% said their sense of solidarity with the elderly has increased, while 50% said it has not changed. Only 46% said they felt more connected to women.
In this context, it is noteworthy that people who reported suffering psychological damage as a result of war became more sympathetic towards different groups.
The survey also showed that 21% of respondents said they avoided seeking mental health treatment due to a lack of available therapists. Almost a quarter (26%) of those who reported psychological harm said they avoided seeking medical attention because of a lack of mental health care.
Caring for animals helps reduce stress
According to Paamonei Lua, a volunteer organization that promotes mutual care between people and animals, caring for animals can greatly help people who have experienced suffering themselves. The association operates a shelter for animals in Kfar Saba and connects animals and people, enabling a process of mutual rehabilitation between animals and traumatized children, adolescents and adults.
In recent days, dozens of women and men who have experienced episodes of post-traumatic stress as a result of war have been treated by the association, some of whom suffered sexual and other abuse years earlier. This also includes people who have experienced anxiety and experienced anxiety again. Patients themselves feel better when they take care of various animals: dogs, cats, hamsters, geese, etc. According to the survey, approximately 89% of respondents said that caring for animals is a great help to people who have experienced adversity themselves.
Dr. Norm Rudich, who founded the association, explains that the ground is falling out from under all of us. We have lost trust in humans, in others, and in those who protect us. “But we need some kind of connection to get comfort. So animals become trusting relationships and more than that, and like what happened on October 7th, we need some type of connection. You will definitely not be disappointed. Relationships with animals can be very rewarding and those who choose to see animals as partners will be filled with a new sense of meaning. Pets themselves also need us and want to be close to us.”
According to her, when we develop real relationships with animals, relationships that have room for the needs and desires of both parties, we will treat every event of war as a new and essential place where animals have no place. It creates a great experience. basic human needs and desires.
