20 - Mental Health and Terrorism

Summary

This chapter provides a chronological review of the literature on terrorism and mental health over the past few decades. Studies of Post traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or its symptoms dominate the literature on the mental health consequences of terrorism, but also studied are other types of mental disorders including acute stress disorder, depression, risk behaviors, use of health services, intervention or prevention, and in a few examples multiple outcomes. The chapter also describes the unique features of each of the major types of disorder associated with terrorism in the literature, starting with PTSD. Terrorism drains individuals' psychosocial resources similar to the way a destroyed home or workplace drains individuals' financial ones. In particular, terrorism may simultaneously result in the loss of hope, sense of control, belief in the government's ability to protect its citizens, and social bonds.