French mental health worker says psychological concepts cannot explain reality in Gaza

A member of the French-speaking mental health network in Palestine has said that concepts such as post-traumatic stress disorder cannot explain the reality of the trauma experienced by Palestinians, which is shaped by the ongoing violence they face, the Palestinian Information Centre has reported.

“Because there is no ‘post’ trauma when there is no moment of relief or return to a normal environment,” explained Emmanuel Kosadinos. “It is a continuous trauma.”

Kosadinos said on Mediapart that continuous humiliation lies at the heart of this experience, which is a form of trauma rarely recognised in mainstream clinical discourse. “This humiliation, along with other acts of violence, strikes at the collective identity of Palestinians and affects deeply not only individuals, but also the very fabric of their community.”

In his article translated by Al Jazeera Net, Kosadinos referred to a statement by Palestinian psychologist Samah Jabr at a conference in Istanbul, pointing out that dominant psychiatry is often complicit in dehumanisation. Colonial psychiatry has historically served as a tool of control, as seen in Algeria, where false scientific theories were used to strip indigenous populations of their humanity.

“Today, similar tactics are used in Palestine, where resistance fighters are often described as mentally unstable. Therefore, mental health practitioners must reject these practices, focus on recognition and empowerment, and refrain from pathologizing trauma or exerting control over victims.”

Warning that resilience in the Palestinian context goes beyond mere survival, Kosadinos said that the concept of resilience embodies an active and forward-looking response to the future. This includes a variety of individual and collective actions, from creative initiatives to community organising. “Documenting stories of suffering and resistance plays a crucial role in countering dominant narratives, and thus Palestinians must reveal their hidden truths and amplify them to challenge global indifference and denial.”

This conflict, he added, has broader implications: normalising violence against the Palestinian people and the erosion of international law reflect a global moral decline. “Hence, the echoes of these injustices resonate beyond Gaza, highlighting similarities with other colonial contexts where humanity has been denied and resistance has been pathologized.”

Acts of genocide are often preceded by rhetoric portraying Palestinian women as a “demographic threat,” said the writer, and actions like building car parks over mass graves reveal an ongoing effort to erase Palestinian history and identity.

In this context, mental health becomes a field of struggle and a form of resistance. “With the collapse of the mental health system in the first two weeks of escalating violence, leaving tens of thousands of people in Gaza without care, Palestinians continue to rely on culturally rooted practices, such as reciting Qur’anic verses to strengthen their perseverance, and on collective initiatives that prioritise healing based on available community resources.”

Moreover, Palestinians living abroad also suffer from trauma, he noted, as they experience survivor’s guilt, helplessness and disconnection from their homeland. “Supporting these individuals requires recognition of their struggles and helping them transform their anger and despair into meaningful action.”

He concluded by saying that Dr Jabr’s intervention provided a profound analysis of the trauma, resilience and resistance of the Palestinian people, calling for a rejection of inhumane narratives and the adoption of culturally sensitive collective healing approaches. “This is not only a moral necessity, but also a global imperative, as the erosion of humanity in Palestine resonates beyond its borders.”

READ: UNRWA says scale of suffering witnessed in Gaza has shaken faith in human rights