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Kurdistan, they're back in the 1940s in
psychotherapy
13.2.2007
By JOHN ANASTASI
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February 13, 2007
In an area of the world known for its
huge supply of oil, the poor in the Kurdistan region
of northern Iraq have little heat.
Karl Benzio, a Doylestown Township psychiatrist,
found that out firsthand recently as he slept in the
fetal position under the covers with his hat and
gloves on in an effort to stay warm.
“We had hot water on just two ... days, so it was a
matter of deciding how long you could go without a
shower,” said Benzio.
He and two colleagues in the mental health
profession spent part of last month training
healthcare workers in the Kurdish capital city of
Ebil. In that part of Iraq, 17 psychiatrists serve
the entire 6 million residents and the only
anti-depressants consistently available have not
been widely used in America since the late 1970s and
early 1980s.
“In medicine they're back in the 1970s but, in terms
of psychotherapy, they're back in the 1940s or
1930s,” said Benzio.
That is hardly adequate to meet the mental health
needs of people who spend their lives living in
substandard conditions under the looming threat of
sectarian violence and civil war.
“The need is hugely great, but the supply and skill
set is limited,” said Benzio, who recently provided
mental health training workshops during more than a
week spent in Ebil.
The Lighthouse Network, a Doylestown Township
nonprofit Christian ministry, sent Benzio,
Philadelphia psychologist Jeff Black and Allentown
therapist/social worker Leslie Vernick to Iraq to
lead a series of conferences Jan. 14.
They met with doctors, nurses, social workers,
medical students and counselors, covering topics
from conflict resolution, listening, interpersonal
communication, stress relief and anger management.
They also spoke to some Christian congregations
living in the predominantly Muslim country.
Compared to the Sunni and Shiite territories in
southern Iraq, the Kurdish region is relatively
peaceful. But it has its problems.
The unemployment rate is high, and most people have
little money.
“Electricity is a struggle,” Benzio said. “At night,
they have the most power. People get up at 2 a.m. to
run the washer or the vacuum cleaner. They wake up
in the middle of the night to run appliances.”
If that lifestyle is not enough to necessitate
counseling, the Kurds also have the added issue of
sharing houses with numerous family members.
“A lot of young men get married but then have to
continue to live with their parents because they do
not have enough money to buy their own houses,” he
said. “That can contribute to stress and tension
because couples don't have that privacy they need to
do conflict resolution without others being
involved.”
Many of the people Benzio met were happy the
American troops had deposed Saddam Hussein and
stabilized the region.
“They are concerned about [the troops] leaving
because they feel there will be considerable unrest
if they leave,” said Benzio.
The Kurds fear they would be vulnerable to attack
both from neighboring countries and from Sunnis and
Shiites without a U.S. presence in the country.
Benzio said many people are optimistic about new
construction and the return of other Kurds who had
fled the region during Hussein's rule. But, for many
others, life in the Kurdish region has taken a
psychological toll.
“On the flip side, we saw people who have lived
through the chaos for a long time,” he said.
“There's significant stress there. Some of them seem
battered down. There's a victim mentality.”
He said about 10,000 people died in one town when
its residents were gassed in the early 1990s and
some Kurds seem unable to move forward.
“This is a culture that keeps its emotions
suppressed,” Benzio said. “Then, when it finally
comes out, they just snap.”
Another fly in the mental health ointment is the
fact that many of the country's healthcare
professionals do not choose their careers.
“In school, they look at their skills and tell you
what you should do,” he said. “Some do not want to
be there. One question we asked was, "You got into
this to help people, right?' but, for some of them,
it wasn't their choice. Some of them are not
inherently helpers.”
The American doctors tried to teach them how to
listen and communicate effectively with each other
and their patients and
resolve conflicts respectfully.
Following his return, Benzio took part in a
conference call with representatives of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services' Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to
talk about the trip and suggest strategies to help
the Iraqi people. He suggested return trips every
year to continue the group's work.
phillyburbs com
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