Will the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, 39 of whom have already been released since Friday as part of a ceasefire agreement, manage to recover psychologically? Nothing is less certain, explains psychiatrist Patrick Clervoy to TF1Info, which brings to mind a possible Lazarus syndrome. He explains to us what it is.
There are now 39 hostages once held by Hamas in Gaza and then released since Friday, November 24, as part of a ceasefire between Israel and the Islamist movement. A fourth group is also due for release this Monday, while this agreement – which provides for the release of a total of 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners – was supposed to end this Tuesday morning but has been extended.
These civilians, mostly women and children, remained detained for approximately fifty days. But they also experienced the bloody attacks of October 7th. According to psychiatrist Patrick Clervoy, associate professor at Val-de-Grâce, who has treated survivors of hostage-taking and attacks throughout his career, it is therefore a double trauma. He mentioned possible Lazare syndrome to TF1Info.
The likelihood of developing long-lasting mental disorders in the form of post-traumatic stress has been proven.
The likelihood of developing long-lasting mental disorders in the form of post-traumatic stress has been proven.
Dr. Patrick Clervoy, psychiatrist
Do all people who leave captivity develop post-traumatic stress?
Dr. Patrick Clervoy : Captivity is only one time, often the second, in a cascade of traumatic episodes in which captivity is sometimes the moment of peace. But first there was the hostage-taking, a brutal, more or less prolonged act of war in which the subject was completely disoriented and in a state of acute stress. This means that the psychological abilities with which a person is able to understand what is happening, control his reactions and realize his survival are saturated. For example, screams, darkness, the brutality of events, physical injuries, the death of people close to us are all elements of acute stress. These people go through states of derealization in which they become disconnected from reality, which causes them to feel extraordinarily good, even invincible.
Captivity is then an unstable moment in which cruel, disgusting moments, sometimes torture or physical or sexual abuse, can occur. Then comes a third time, that of liberation, which is also a moment of stress. In this regard, the likelihood of the development of persistent mental disorders in the form of post-traumatic stress is demonstrated. The only possible exception: the case of certain children. Those who stayed with their parents could feel safe if their parents performed their protective role well. But the others will experience a chaotic journey of life.
“The world before has disappeared”
Among the post-traumatic symptoms you mention Lazarus syndrome. What is that?
It is an insidious and persistent social dysfunction that means that those who have gone through a traumatic event in which they – and sometimes those around them – thought they were going to die, after a certain time, no longer have anything to do with it have what he was before. It is very likely that these hostages will develop this syndrome. Especially since they largely find themselves in a society that is itself traumatized. The former hostage can therefore expect to return to a world that is the same as the previous one, and expect that world to remain the same so that he can rebuild himself there and regain his sense of self. But he will never find her again. For everyone who welcomes the hostage, or for the hostage himself, the world has previously disappeared during this Hamas operation.
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So what psychological repercussions might these ex-hostages have?
These include, among other things, anxiety disorders. There are people who will no longer be able to maintain the composure that allows them to do the same work as before. For example, many people who have experienced such events prefer night jobs because they are now prone to nightmares. So you sleep during the day and work at night. In fact, post-traumatic stress disorder is a permanent reactivation of the memory of the trauma. This can also lead to a withdrawal from social life, with all kinds of avoidance measures, such as no longer going to places with crowds of people, avoiding closed places or no longer using public transport. Because these people look for places with the least anxiety-provoking stimuli. And the worst thing is that many of them will find that they can use alcohol, for example, to calm their fears and fall asleep. Therefore, we will encounter complications with many addictions. Which also leads to desocialization.
Virginie FAUROUX