OMAGH COUNSELLING OF NO VALUE
Omagh counselling 'of no value'
COUNSELLING offered to those suffering post-traumatic stress after the Omagh bomb atrocity was a "complete waste of time", a top psychiatrist has claimed. Dr Nicholas Cooling dismissed its value for victims' relatives plunged into major depression as he gave evidence at the High Court civil case against five men blamed for the attack which killed 29 people and unborn twins.
During cross-examination by Dermot Fee QC, appearing for defendants Seamus Daly and Colm Murphy, the consultant psychiatrist said those he saw following the August 1998 bombing underwent something more serious than bereavement and adjustment disorder.
He contested Mr Fee's assertion that relatives who did not take counselling would have benefited from it, pointing instead to psychotherapy intervention and anti-depressants as more effective treatments.
"Counselling would make absolutely no difference to someone who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] or clinical depression," Dr Cooling told the hearing.
"Counselling is a complete waste of time. Unfortunately in this case a lot of people had counselling with the expectation it might lead to something and it didn't."
Challenged by Mr Fee to explain why the National Institute for Clinical Excellence described it as an appropriate service for depression, he claimed it was not scientifically proven.
"All I can say as a consultant psychiatrist is that counselling is not demonstrated as being an effective treatment for depression," he said.
"For people with major depression, counselling is useless. It's of no value."
Dr Cooling compiled assessments of the emotional and mental toll on victims' families who are taking the multi-million pound lawsuit against Seamus Daly, Colm Murphy, Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell and Seamus McKenna. All five deny responsibility for the attack.
Earlier the expert told the court that watching television news reports on the day of the Omagh bombing contributed to the PTSD suffered by one victim's sister.
Dealing with Cathy Gallagher, whose brother Aiden died in the blast, Mr Fee said one category for a post-traumatic stress sufferer involved reliving "horrendous and dangerous events" they were involved in.
Pointing out that Ms Gallagher was not at the scene when the bomb exploded, he asked how could she be deemed to fit the criteria.
"Very easily," Dr Cooling said.
"When I interviewed her she had a lot of intrusive thoughts about what happened.
"She didn't have to be at the event. It's reliving the aftermath."
The hearing continues.
COUNSELLING offered to those suffering post-traumatic stress after the Omagh bomb atrocity was a "complete waste of time", a top psychiatrist has claimed. Dr Nicholas Cooling dismissed its value for victims' relatives plunged into major depression as he gave evidence at the High Court civil case against five men blamed for the attack which killed 29 people and unborn twins.
During cross-examination by Dermot Fee QC, appearing for defendants Seamus Daly and Colm Murphy, the consultant psychiatrist said those he saw following the August 1998 bombing underwent something more serious than bereavement and adjustment disorder.
He contested Mr Fee's assertion that relatives who did not take counselling would have benefited from it, pointing instead to psychotherapy intervention and anti-depressants as more effective treatments.
"Counselling would make absolutely no difference to someone who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD] or clinical depression," Dr Cooling told the hearing.
"Counselling is a complete waste of time. Unfortunately in this case a lot of people had counselling with the expectation it might lead to something and it didn't."
Challenged by Mr Fee to explain why the National Institute for Clinical Excellence described it as an appropriate service for depression, he claimed it was not scientifically proven.
"All I can say as a consultant psychiatrist is that counselling is not demonstrated as being an effective treatment for depression," he said.
"For people with major depression, counselling is useless. It's of no value."
Dr Cooling compiled assessments of the emotional and mental toll on victims' families who are taking the multi-million pound lawsuit against Seamus Daly, Colm Murphy, Michael McKevitt, Liam Campbell and Seamus McKenna. All five deny responsibility for the attack.
Earlier the expert told the court that watching television news reports on the day of the Omagh bombing contributed to the PTSD suffered by one victim's sister.
Dealing with Cathy Gallagher, whose brother Aiden died in the blast, Mr Fee said one category for a post-traumatic stress sufferer involved reliving "horrendous and dangerous events" they were involved in.
Pointing out that Ms Gallagher was not at the scene when the bomb exploded, he asked how could she be deemed to fit the criteria.
"Very easily," Dr Cooling said.
"When I interviewed her she had a lot of intrusive thoughts about what happened.
"She didn't have to be at the event. It's reliving the aftermath."
The hearing continues.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0972
Published Date: 18-Oct-08
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