TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES NATIONAL ( PTSD ) POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER CLINIC

By ALAN ROSENBAUM, January 4, 2024 23: 36 am

Clinic team: treat PTSD as soon as possible. / (image credit: Rafael David Ben-Menashe)

On January 1, the TAU National Center for Stress and Traumatic Resilience opened a PTSD clinic to deal with the anticipated surge in trauma patients after the October 7 murders.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines trauma as "a psychic condition or disordered behavior resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury."

Starting from the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7 and the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, the situation in Gaza over the past three months has been one of almost unrelenting trauma for many groups of the Israeli population.

The TAU National Center for Stress and Traumatic Resilience opened a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) clinic on January 1 at Tel Aviv University. This was an attempt to help increase the expected number of trauma patients in Israel.

A year ago, construction began on the Miriam and Moshe Shuster building for the Center for Stress and Traumatic Resilience, which will include an extensive clinical research component, a training center, and a policy-making Center for Traumatic Stress and PTSD. The center, scheduled to open in late 2025, will have a treatment clinic, state-of-the-art labs, and a Sam and Agi Moss wing.

The head of the center, Prof. Yair Bar-Haim, was interviewed by the magazine recently. He explained why the clinic should be opened immediately.

Immediately after the traumatic event that occurred on October 7, Bar-Haim realized that the schedule had to be accelerated. She stated, "We realized that we could not wait for the original date, and we had to move quickly to open a clinic for treatment."

Tel Aviv University encouraged him to update the date, provide temporary space for the clinic in student dormitories, and provide the necessary funding to run the clinic.

Bar-Haim explains that, because PTSD symptoms often subside after a few weeks, doctors usually wait a month or more after the traumatic event.

I realized that we needed to prepare for a strong clinical response two or three months later. After two and a half months, trauma has occurred to some people in Israel. They may have PTSD when they get here, and proper treatment should be given. The chances of getting remission are also better if you receive timely treatment.

Therefore, it is very important to start treatment as soon as possible. For example, we provide care to reserve personnel who experience early symptoms but remain members of the IDF forces and feel capable of service. They promised to return to Gaza. They are expected to be able to do so, but if they show significant symptoms, they will be removed from the unit and treated.

He also stated that although setting up a clinic with the rank and expertise of a TAU clinic may take several years, thanks to the love and hard work of the university staff, the clinic is ready to open on January 1.

"Even before the war began, the mental health system, in the private and public sectors, had been overwhelmed," Bar-Haim said, pointing to estimates showing an increase of 30,000 new cases of PTSD in Israel this year.

Quickly, TAU hired nine of Israel's leading PTSD specialists, and now the clinic has 33 mental health professionals.

"We hope to provide evidence-supported treatment to a large number of patients, and it will become the largest clinic specializing in PTSD in Israel."

Dr. Ofir Levi, former IDF Unit commander for PTSD and now teaching at Bob Shapell's TAU Social Work School, will head the clinic. Bar-Haim of the TAU Psychology School will head the National Trauma and Stress Resilience Center.

Bar-Haim says that the experience and trauma content of this war are different from those of other conflicts.

It is a different experience at the national level due to the magnitude of the event, the number of people who suffer from it, and the circle that surrounds it. Everyone in Gaza has their own children or nephews, or they know someone in Gaza who is dead or injured.

The difference lies in a very large margin." The clinic will provide care to many laymen and reservists suffering from PTSD due to war reasons or other factors. It will accept patients referred by the Ministry of Defense and the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi), and they will not have to pay anything. After making an appointment and paying NIS 50, a private citizen can receive treatment without a referral. According to Bar-Haim, the clinic aims to treat 1,000 patients by 2024 and another 2,000 by 2025.

He provides an explanation of the definition of PTSD and its diagnostic procedures, stating that "posttraumatic stress disorder begins with a traumatic event. Unlike other psychiatric disorders that do not require events in reality, PTSD requires events in reality." We started with the person who explained the incident and confirmed that it was true. The treatment team then examines the patient's symptoms through a clinical interview.

She says that symptoms typically come from four groups: re-experiencing trauma through flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive memories; avoiding situations or thoughts that may cause traumatic memories; and changes in mood and cognition.

How can one identify signs of trauma?

Bar-Haim stated that it would be cause for concern if a person perceives that symptoms interfere with their functioning, work, and family life.

In the clinic, if we see that someone is on a good trajectory, has symptoms, but appears to be decreasing over time, we may advise them to have a follow-up visit for three weeks or a month after analyzing their clinical situation and symptoms. We want to give a chance to the natural healing process. We will take immediate action if we find that the symptoms are numerous and difficult and that treatment is necessary.

The clinic's team has a lot of experience, according to Bar-Haim. " Dr. Ofir Levy has 25 years of experience treating  post-traumati stress disorder and was commander of the IDF PTSD clinic for 10 years." He also said that each therapist in the clinic has a minimum of fifteen years of experience, and some of them have more than forty years in this field.

We have clinical social workers, psychiatrists, and clinical psychologists. Most people are leading PTSD therapists. Because of our experience, we can cover a wide range of medications, giving us the flexibility to tailor our medications to specific patients.

Bar-Haim stated that the TAU clinic will strive to provide the most innovative, proven, and best treatments. He explained that the clinic will provide different types of treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) protocols for PTSD and computerized threat-related attention bias modification (ABM), computerized protocols used to change aberrant attention patterns that often occur after trauma. Group therapy and psychodynamic therapy (PTD) are additional types of treatment available.

In conclusion, Prof. Ariel Porat, President of Tel Aviv University, stated, "Unfortunately, PTSD has become an affliction throughout the nation of Israel, and we as a university recognize the needs of Israeli society, especially now in one of the most difficult times we know as a nation and as a people." We intend to give relief and new hope to the thousands of soldiers and civilians affected psychologically by war and mass murder.

I am sure that this clinic will expand its activities in the coming years and make an important contribution to the state of Israel.

To learn more about the treatment of trauma in the TAU clinic: (03) 640-6900; 050-287-4955; hosen@tauex.tau.ac.il;

News Sources : https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-780878