Psychiatry experts: Hamas atrocities result in most severe mental trauma wave in modern Israel's history

Psychiatry experts warn that the unprecedented Hamas atrocities have caused the most severe mental trauma wave in the history of the State of Israel.

Even before the events of the brutal Oct. 7 attack by Hamas terrorists, the Israeli mental health system had been insufficiently funded and understaffed, causing long waiting times. The situation was particularly challenging in the nation's periphery, the northern and southern regions, which are currently being the most affected by ongoing aggression from Hamas and Hezbollah forces.

The post-Oct. 7 trauma has dramatically increased demand and pressure on Israel’s mental healthcare system. Psychiatry experts assess that various post-trauma disorders could potentially affect as many as one-third of Israelis who have been directly or indirectly affected by the ongoing war against Hamas.

Eli Cohen, CEO of Clalit, one of Israel’s largest Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), emphasized that much of the organization’s resources are now devoted to assist Israelis most affected by the war.

"As Israel's largest HMO, serving over 50% of the country's population, most of those displaced by the situation in the north and south are our patients. Given the growing number of mental health inquiries, we are taking proactive and rapid measures. This initiative, supported by the best professional standards, will swiftly and effectively expand our response to the current and future challenges," Cohen said.

The health-related challenges are, indeed, enormous. Clalit has reported a 25% increase in psychiatric drug use, 45% increase in post-trauma diagnoses and a whopping 52% rise in anxiety-connected patient cases.

Shlomo Mendlovic, who heads the Shalvata Mental Health Center in Hod Hasharon near Tel Aviv, says his center has developed a new program for coaches, giving them useful tools to meet the surging demand for mental healthcare.

"Our newly developed program trains resilience coaches who enable many to cope using simple, accessible methods, under professional and supportive guidance, with various mental symptoms and distresses. The program's uniqueness, shaped in line with global models, is that it doesn't just offer treatment in the conventional sense, but rather helps those in mental distress to unearth their inherent healing and recovery powers," Mendlovic said.

He emphasized that the center, which is affiliated with Clalit, has a particular focus on acute mental cases.

“Efforts are underway to address urgent acute cases. Every doctor exercises medical discretion to prioritize urgent cases, referring them to Clalits' clinics or its unique service tracks available both traditionally and online,” Mendlovic added.

The Israeli Ministry of Defense reported in December that more than 6,000 Israeli soldiers had been wounded in various degrees during the ongoing war in Gaza against the terrorist organization Hamas. While much of the immediate focus has been on healing physical injuries, experts also warn of many long-term psychological wounds among IDF soldiers that need to be addressed by the healthcare system.

Edan Kleiman, head of the IDF's Disabled Veterans Organization, recently warned that many IDF soldiers risk developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the harsh conditions of war in the Gaza Strip.

“I have never seen a scope like this and an intensity like this, Kleiman said. “We must rehabilitate these people," he added.

Kleiman estimates that Israel could potentially face the daunting need to treat as many as 20,000 IDF soldiers with various physical and mental injuries.