3 million Israelis suffer from PTSD since 7 October, says official report

An official Israeli report has revealed that three million citizens are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after the events of 7 October, 2023, but only 0.6 per cent of them have received treatment due to the failure of the healthcare system in the occupation state.

The report was issued on Tuesday by State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman about the Israeli government’s failure to treat citizens before and after the outbreak of the war. It reveals a series of failures and a lack of preparedness of the mental health system, according to Israeli media.

“The State Comptroller’s report on mental health care for victims of the 7 October attacks presents the failure and collapse of the mental health systems,” said Calcalist. “Only about 0.6 per cent of the population received mental health treatment through health management organisations (HMOs) and resilience centres, even though 38 per cent of the population reported moderate to severe symptoms,” during the first six months of the war.

The report stated that, “Approximately three million Israelis may suffer from PTSD symptoms, depression, or anxiety in the wake of 7 October but less than one per cent of them have sought treatment,” reported Israel’s Channel 12. “A poll included in the report revealed that 34 per cent of respondents reported suffering from symptoms of PTSD, 32 per cent reported moderate or severe depression, 21 per cent reported symptoms of anxiety, and 38 per cent reported having at least one symptom at a moderate or severe level.”

Regarding mental health care provided by the health funds (similar to health insurance) and government mental health centres, the State Comptroller found that in the six months following 7 October, only 0.6 per cent of the general population received treatment.

“The primary reason for not seeking treatment, according to 38 per cent of respondents, was long wait times. The wait time for treatment from health funds was six and a half months as of April and May 2024,” noted the comptroller.

“The next most common reason people didn’t seek treatment was that they didn’t know it was available, with 23 per cent naming this reason,” added the report, noting that “19 per cent said they did not trust health fund treatment providers, 17 per cent said they were worried about information security, and five per cent said they couldn’t find a suitable therapist.”

Data from a survey conducted by the State Comptroller’s Office last April indicate that “this is an estimate of about 3 million people in the adult population, including about 580,000 people who may suffer from at least one severe symptom of PTSD.”

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