WAR ATROCITIES AND GROWING UP: RISKS WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT

The establishment of the United Nations after World War II raised hopes of a new era of peace. This was over-optimistic. Between 1945 and 1992, there were 149 major wars, killing more than 23 million people. Recent developments in warfare have significantly heightened the dangers for children. During the last decade child war victims have included: 2 million killed; 4-5 million disabled; 12 million left homeless; more than 1 million orphaned or separated from their parents; some 10 million psychologically traumatized. Researches indicate that children do develop PTSD after experiencing very stressful, life-threatening events such as happen in war. Wars of 21st century are often guerrilla-type civil wars in which women and children are not only the main victims, but are deliberately targeted. Thousands are displaced both internally and across borders. Wars at the end of nineties of 20th century in the region of ex Yugoslavian countries brought all the cruelty of war vivid again on European ground. Population were exposed to death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence. During the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina 1992-1995 there were about 100 000 people killed (20% woman and 3.5% children) and about 18 000 children were orphaned because of war. Children are not capable to regulate their emotions and hyper-arousal on their own. It depends of the way how their parents (caretaker) regulate her/his own emotions. During the war weak child’s ego is paralyzed with intensive stimuli and floating anxiety, it does not manage to make constructive solution for traumatic experiences in such a short time. Mothers with small children are especially vulnerable group during the war time: they are supposed to take care about children and feel happiness, what is almost impossible Severe war experiences could cause depressive symptoms in mothers, what reduce their emotional disposability and could lead in different form of the child’s neglecting. PTSD symptoms were lasting longer in children if their mothers have had functioning problems. Traumatization of mothers is connected with different behavior problems in their children. Wars are continuing all over the world and there is a continuity of researches about their consequences on children. Any programs that intend to mitigate the psychological effects of such trauma need to adopt a public health approach aimed at reaching many thousands

Surviving genocide in Srebrenica during the early childhood and adolescent personality

Aim To examine how the experience of genocide in Srebrenica in the early childhood (ages 1-5) influences the psychological health in adolescence. Methods This study included 100 school-attending adolescents, age 15-16 (born in 1990-91) who were divided in two groups according to the place of residence from 1992-1995: the Srebrenica group – adolescents who lived in Srebrenica during the siege and the non-Srebrenica group who lived in the “free territory,” were not wounded, and experienced no losses. We used the socio-demographic questionnaire created for the purposes of our study and the War Trauma Questionnaire, Posttraumatic Stress Reactions Questionnaire, Self-report Depressive Scale (Zung), Freiburg Personality Inventory, and the Lifestyle Questionnaire. Results Srebrenica adolescents experienced significantly more traumatic experiences (14.26 ± 3.11 vs 4.86 ± 3.16, P < 0.001). Although there was no significant difference in the total score of posttraumatic stress reactions and intensity of depression between the two groups, significantly higher scores of posttraumatic stress reaction were noticed for several specific questions. The most prominent defense mechanisms in both groups were projection, intellectualization, and reactive formation. Srebrenica adolescents had higher sociability levels (34.7% vs 16.0%, χ2 = 7.231, P = 0.020). Conclusion Srebrenica adolescents reported significantly more severe PTSD symptoms and significantly greater sociability. Our findings could be used for planning treatment and improving communication and overcoming traumas in war-affected areas

IBN SINA (AVICENNA) AS A PSYCHIATRIST: A VIEW FROM TODAY\u27S PERSPECTIVE

Ibn Sina (Avicenna) is primarily known for his philosophy and medicine, but there is almost no scientific discipline in which this great man didn\u27t leave a significant mark. This paper gives a brief review of his contributions to medicine, especially to psychiatry. Medical works of Ibn Sina represent a pinnacle of most important medical achievements of his time. These works contain synthesis of all Greek, Indian and Iranian medical schools, but also new breakthroughs achieved by Muslim scholars through their own experimentation and practice. Although he wrote many medical works, his most important one is El-Kanun fit-tib, which can be translated as The Canon of Medicine. It\u27s made out of five books which systematically show everything known in the area of medicine up until that point in time. In it, Ibn Sina discusses, among other things, the structure of psychological apparatus of human being and the connection of psychological functions with the brain as well as the role of psyche in etiology of somatic diseases. He also describes certain psychiatric diseases along with the explanation of their etiology and recommended therapy. He considered psychology to be very important for medicine, so in his psychological works he discusses, in great detail, the essence of human soul, consciousness, intellect and other psychological functions

CREATIVE PSYCHOPHARMACOTHERAPY IN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY AND EXPERIENCES FROM BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Introduction: Paediatric psychopharmacology involves the application of psychotropic agents to the treatment of children and adolescents with mental disorders and gathered knowledge from child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP), neurology, paediatrics and pharmacology. Defining elements of this discipline are: the metabolism of drugs is different in children than in adults (pharmacokinetics), the developing brain reacts specifically to the drug (pharmaco dynamics), and psychopathology itself is not differentiated yet. To make and overview of specifics in psychopharmacological use in CAP and emphasize some experiences from Bosnia and Herzegovina in that field. Methods: Through insight in current literature, we presented comprehensive findings and compare it with situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Results: The most common conditions in which psycho pharmaceuticals are used in CAP were attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), depressive and bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and the treatment of early psychosis. Psycho pharmaceuticals were also used to treat agitated conditions in various causes. We made an overview of psycho pharmaceuticals use in Bosnia and Herzegovina CAP and emphasized the fact that psycho stimulants are not approved for the use yet, although they are mostly prescribed medicament in CAP over the world. That limits us in the effectiveness of the treatment in ADHD and put us in the situations to use other medicaments instead (anxiolytics, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers) which are not approved for that condition. Conclusion: The use of psycho pharmacotherapy in CAP is justified in cases where it is necessary to reduce the suffering of children and to improve their functionality at the time when cognitive, social and emotional advancement is most pronounced. Further research and clinical monitoring of efficacy and safety in the use of psycho pharmaceuticals in youngsters are necessary