Recent official data has revealed a sharp deterioration in the psychological state of Israeli society since the outbreak of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. The data showed an increase in the number of trauma victims due to security-related incidents from 300 patients weekly before the war to about 3,000 cases currently, reflecting the enormous psychological pressure faced by settlers.
Informed sources reported that the 'Natal' association, specialized in treating psychological trauma, has received more than 120,000 distress calls since the beginning of the aggression. The association's CEO, Efrat Shvroot, explained that the numbers peaked during periods of direct military escalation, emphasizing that these statistics represent the true 'barometer' of the deteriorating emotional state within Israel.
Shvroot warned that what is to come might be even harder, noting that Israeli society is living under the weight of a 'tsunami' of psychological crises whose effects have begun to clearly surface. These effects include chronic fear attacks, sleep disorders, and a steady increase in suicidal tendencies that require immediate intervention from the police and ambulance services on a daily basis.
Reports indicate that the apparent calm in Israeli streets and cafes hides 'volcanic material' in a state of boiling that threatens social foundations. While the media is preoccupied with political disputes, a wide segment of Israelis suffers from silent distress and internal bleeding that pushes them towards isolation or complete withdrawal from work and essential life functions.
Addiction has emerged as one of the most dangerous national repercussions of the war, with authorities recording a significant increase in drug, cannabis, and sedative use among youth and discharged soldiers. Experts believe that this escape into addiction is a failed attempt to cope with harsh war memories and trauma symptoms that haunt those involved in military operations.
On the family front, statistical studies revealed a 65% increase in domestic violence cases reported to social welfare centers. This phenomenon has particularly worsened in families whose members serve in the army, where rates of physical and sexual violence have doubled due to the psychological pressures soldiers bring from battlefields to their homes.
In a related context, physical health symptoms resulting from sustained stress have begun to appear, with medical sources observing an increase in heart disease and cancer. Reports considered these diseases to be the 'inevitable health cost' of accumulated psychological traumas that have not found effective treatment amidst the ongoing state of war and continuous security threats.
Specialists have introduced a new term into the Israeli psychological lexicon, 'rolling trauma,' to describe a state where the term 'post-trauma' loses its traditional meaning. Society is still living within the traumatic event, as crises and threats continue without a time interval that allows for recovery or the beginning of traditional treatment.
Reports also drew attention to the alarming rise in fatal traffic accidents, which analysts linked to the confused mental state of traumatized drivers. This phenomenon is similar to what the US Army observed among its soldiers returning from the Vietnam and Afghanistan wars, where psychological trauma translates into aggressive and dangerous driving behaviors.
In conclusion, the data indicates that approximately 20,000 Israeli soldiers have been directly affected by 'post-traumatic stress' due to the fighting in Gaza, a number expected to increase with ongoing military operations. Medical and psychological institutions in Israel face an existential challenge in how to contain these massive numbers of affected individuals amidst limited budgets and increasing economic pressures.
The war has not ended; it has moved from the borders to the depths of the soul, and we face a terrifying existential question about society's ability to contain this rolling psychological catastrophe.
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A psychological tsunami hits Israel: The number of trauma victims rises to 3,000 weekly