No outlet for Troubles trauma, warns expert

People traumatised by the Troubles in Northern Ireland don’t feel free to talk about their experiences, a major report revealed today.

This was the key finding of new research conducted by leading mental health charity Threshold, which specialises in psychotherapy to help those affected by violence.

It found that people wanted to discuss the effects of years of civil disorder but were fearful of the consequences.

Clinical Psychologist Dr Raman Kapur, director of Threshold, speaking to an invited audience of Assembly members and health and housing professionals, said the attitude of the 1970s that ‘‘loose talk costs lives’’ still predominates in the streets of the province.

‘‘What we are seeing now is that people still do not feel safe. We may have a political peace process but on the ground there is still a war psychology.

‘‘People live in fear of their lives,’’ he said.

Dr Kapur said that having a safe place to talk was fundamental to beginning the healing process.

‘‘We must provide safe havens with no riot zones for people to get help and deal with the human effects of the conflict,’’ he said.

‘‘Our minds are not at peace. Any normal human being has got to be affected by 30 years of violence and exposure to death.

‘‘We show all the symptoms of a troubled mind. The only cure is talking freely about it. We have to set up ways to stop traumatising each other with words, bombs and bullets.’’

The report highlighted that mental health needs were 25% greater than Britain as a whole.

There was also 37% greater use of anti-depressants and 75% more prescriptions for tranquillisers in Northern Ireland than the rest of the UK.