WORK OF TRAUMA CENTRE WITH BOMB VICTIMS EXPLORED
Work of Trauma Centre with bomb victims explored
SURVIVORS of the Omagh bomb gave their own unique experiences of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an RTE documentary which aired on the seventh anniversary of the atrocity.
'Three 60' spoke to users of Omagh's Trauma Centre and the programme dealt with how they coped emotionally and practically with the aftermath.
Individual stories revealed the heartbreak of survivors, who often felt able to cope in the immediate period after the bombing, but experienced symptoms of PTSD months and even years later.
The programme heard how 22-year-old Hanora was caught up in the bomb at the age of 15 when she was shopping in the former McElroy's shoe shop at the scene of the explosion. While she escaped with no physical injuries, three years later she needed treatment for the PTSD disorder.
At the time it would appear that she was in a sense emotionally unable to digest the impact of what she was seeing but it is clear that this was to have a devastating effect later on. Therapy was extremely difficult but has completely turned her life around and given her hope for the future.
She is passionate in her desire to raise awareness about PTSD and the treatment process and describes the Trauma Centre as her second family. Life for Hanora currently revolves around college and work and she has great hopes for the future.
The television audience also heard from Una, who was physically injured in the bomb and later treated for PTSD. Her story is interesting because despite suffering severe physical injuries she maintains that PTSD was much more severe.
COUNSELLING
In the weeks after the bomb, Una was seriously ill and the focus of attention was naturally on her physical recovery. She was offered counselling for a time but felt she didn't need this. Despite very supportive staff at the school she attended, by June 2003 she was very depressed and couldn't see any point in making an effort any more.
After finally confiding in an aunt she was referred to the Trauma Centre.
Through the process of reliving the events of the bomb, Una was able to begin to piece together her life. She began to rebuild her confidence and now feels she no longer needs the constant reassurance of others, which she had come to rely heavily on.
Next was the turn of William Gilbraith, whose trauma has been likened to that experienced by American rescue services at 9/11.
He treated survivors at the scene and at the hospital and worked in the temporary mortuary set up on the day of the bomb as well as attending every funeral afterwards.
Willie became increasingly irritable and withdrawn after the bomb. He kept his feelings to himself and hid his frequent tearfulness from the rest of the family. He describes feelings of anxiety, being on the edge, irritable, unable to sleep and unable to eat.
"I felt like I was wading through glue and even everyday things became difficult" he says. Willie describes his first session with Dr Kate Gillespie in the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation as an amazing experience.
He was shocked and relieved to discover that his reactions were "normal" and treatable and was able to begin what was to be the long road to recovery. Today Willie feels he is finally regaining the personality he felt he had lost. He has a mischievous personality and clearly loves company.
The Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation is considered one of the foremost of its kind.
As well as offering therapy to victims of trauma staff there are dedicated to carrying out research into the effects of trauma on societies worldwide and are part of an international network set up to share expertise and develop therapies.
The therapy offered is cognitive behavioural therapy and is based on the principle of enabling the patient to relive traumatic events in a safe and controlled environment thereby removing the disabling fear associated with memories of the event.
SURVIVORS of the Omagh bomb gave their own unique experiences of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an RTE documentary which aired on the seventh anniversary of the atrocity.
'Three 60' spoke to users of Omagh's Trauma Centre and the programme dealt with how they coped emotionally and practically with the aftermath.
Individual stories revealed the heartbreak of survivors, who often felt able to cope in the immediate period after the bombing, but experienced symptoms of PTSD months and even years later.
The programme heard how 22-year-old Hanora was caught up in the bomb at the age of 15 when she was shopping in the former McElroy's shoe shop at the scene of the explosion. While she escaped with no physical injuries, three years later she needed treatment for the PTSD disorder.
At the time it would appear that she was in a sense emotionally unable to digest the impact of what she was seeing but it is clear that this was to have a devastating effect later on. Therapy was extremely difficult but has completely turned her life around and given her hope for the future.
She is passionate in her desire to raise awareness about PTSD and the treatment process and describes the Trauma Centre as her second family. Life for Hanora currently revolves around college and work and she has great hopes for the future.
The television audience also heard from Una, who was physically injured in the bomb and later treated for PTSD. Her story is interesting because despite suffering severe physical injuries she maintains that PTSD was much more severe.
COUNSELLING
In the weeks after the bomb, Una was seriously ill and the focus of attention was naturally on her physical recovery. She was offered counselling for a time but felt she didn't need this. Despite very supportive staff at the school she attended, by June 2003 she was very depressed and couldn't see any point in making an effort any more.
After finally confiding in an aunt she was referred to the Trauma Centre.
Through the process of reliving the events of the bomb, Una was able to begin to piece together her life. She began to rebuild her confidence and now feels she no longer needs the constant reassurance of others, which she had come to rely heavily on.
Next was the turn of William Gilbraith, whose trauma has been likened to that experienced by American rescue services at 9/11.
He treated survivors at the scene and at the hospital and worked in the temporary mortuary set up on the day of the bomb as well as attending every funeral afterwards.
Willie became increasingly irritable and withdrawn after the bomb. He kept his feelings to himself and hid his frequent tearfulness from the rest of the family. He describes feelings of anxiety, being on the edge, irritable, unable to sleep and unable to eat.
"I felt like I was wading through glue and even everyday things became difficult" he says. Willie describes his first session with Dr Kate Gillespie in the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation as an amazing experience.
He was shocked and relieved to discover that his reactions were "normal" and treatable and was able to begin what was to be the long road to recovery. Today Willie feels he is finally regaining the personality he felt he had lost. He has a mischievous personality and clearly loves company.
The Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma and Transformation is considered one of the foremost of its kind.
As well as offering therapy to victims of trauma staff there are dedicated to carrying out research into the effects of trauma on societies worldwide and are part of an international network set up to share expertise and develop therapies.
The therapy offered is cognitive behavioural therapy and is based on the principle of enabling the patient to relive traumatic events in a safe and controlled environment thereby removing the disabling fear associated with memories of the event.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1830
Published Date: 18-Aug-05
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