Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Marie Liégeois(*), Eric Constant(**) Published in the journal : January 2017 Category : Psychiatrie

Summary :

Based on the observations made during hospital care of a victim of sexual violence in South Kivu and suffering from PTSD, the authors stress the relevance of considering cultural and socio-political aspects, as well as the nature of the violence experienced for a better understanding of the situation. Given that in this very context, patients with PTSD only partially respond to the reference treatment, it is primordial to install a management that is adapted to the specificities of patient's situation. Based on the concepts of dehumanization and resilience, the authors emphasize the necessity of respecting the expression mode of suffering in PTSD patients and of setting up a network for the short- and long-term support to resilience.

What is already known about the topic?

PTSD patients in the South Kivu region only partially respond to the treatments currently recommended by guidelines.

What does this article bring up for us?

This article opens a reflection on this issue in order to best adapt the care of these patients.

Mots-clés

Traumatisme, Violences sexuelles, PTSD, Résilience, Sud-Kivu