YOUNGER VICTIMS ARE LESS LIKELY TO GO IN FOR COUNSELLING
Younger victims are less likely to go it for counselling'
YOUNG children and teenagers are still suffering in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb - yet few are coming forward for help.
While the number of adults contacting support services is on the increase, many youngsters continue to suppress their fears and distress.
And this is a worrying trend or the Omagh Trauma and Recovery Centre.
Set up by Sperrin Lakeland Trust, the advice and counselling group said studies show a lot of kids need help but are not seeking it.
However, 16-year-old Una McGurk found great comfort when she contacted the team.
For no apparent reason, she began to relive the horror of the blast six months after it happened.
"All of a sudden I started to get flashbacks," she explained.
"I didn't eat or sleep and even stopped going to school, so eventually I went to my doctor.
"As I was only 15 at the time, I thought somebody so young couldn't be suffering from depression.
"But I was put on medication and have attended the trauma centre once every two weeks for counselling.
"It's changed my life dramatically and I'm far more confident and relaxed.
"My family and teachers at my school, St Brigid's High, have also helped me a lot, but it's good to have a stranger to talk to."
The director responsible for the trauma team, David Bolton, is calling on adults to monitor more closely the behaviour of children affected by the bomb. "One key reason that they're not looking for help is although they may be distressed, they can't always find the words to express themselves," he said. "In general, young people will not ring up a trauma centre or knock at the door.
"They need someone to do it for them and that's when parents, teachers and other significant adults in the life of a child need to be vigilant."
David commended the Omagh people and those living in neighbouring towns and villages for their strength in keeping the community together.
He felt there would be less anxiety on the second anniversary of the bomb, than last year.
But with the inquest beginning on September 6, he said minds would be very focused on the time ahead.
YOUNG children and teenagers are still suffering in the aftermath of the Omagh bomb - yet few are coming forward for help.
While the number of adults contacting support services is on the increase, many youngsters continue to suppress their fears and distress.
And this is a worrying trend or the Omagh Trauma and Recovery Centre.
Set up by Sperrin Lakeland Trust, the advice and counselling group said studies show a lot of kids need help but are not seeking it.
However, 16-year-old Una McGurk found great comfort when she contacted the team.
For no apparent reason, she began to relive the horror of the blast six months after it happened.
"All of a sudden I started to get flashbacks," she explained.
"I didn't eat or sleep and even stopped going to school, so eventually I went to my doctor.
"As I was only 15 at the time, I thought somebody so young couldn't be suffering from depression.
"But I was put on medication and have attended the trauma centre once every two weeks for counselling.
"It's changed my life dramatically and I'm far more confident and relaxed.
"My family and teachers at my school, St Brigid's High, have also helped me a lot, but it's good to have a stranger to talk to."
The director responsible for the trauma team, David Bolton, is calling on adults to monitor more closely the behaviour of children affected by the bomb. "One key reason that they're not looking for help is although they may be distressed, they can't always find the words to express themselves," he said. "In general, young people will not ring up a trauma centre or knock at the door.
"They need someone to do it for them and that's when parents, teachers and other significant adults in the life of a child need to be vigilant."
David commended the Omagh people and those living in neighbouring towns and villages for their strength in keeping the community together.
He felt there would be less anxiety on the second anniversary of the bomb, than last year.
But with the inquest beginning on September 6, he said minds would be very focused on the time ahead.
Further Information
Publisher: SUNDAY LIFE
Ref: SL/104
Published Date: 13-Aug-00
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