Psychiatrists: Set up trauma clinics in TT

TRAUMATISED: Family members of murder victim Kevin Pereira sit on the side of the road while police process the area where he was gunned down on November 16. PHOTO BY RYAN HAMILTON-DAVIS
TRAUMATISED: Family members of murder victim Kevin Pereira sit on the side of the road while police process the area where he was gunned down on November 16. PHOTO BY RYAN HAMILTON-DAVIS

The recent spate of murders and increasing murder rate has the society on edge and trauma clinics should be set up throughout the country, says secretary of the Association of Psychiatrists of Trinidad and Tobago Dr Varma Deyalsingh.

He was asked to comment on 21 murders in five days including the killing of transgender woman Sasha Fierce (Keon Patterson) at Nelson Mandela Park on Tuesday night. At Newsday’s count of 465, the murder rate has already surpassed last year’s rate of 462 according to the police.

Speaking to Sunday Newsday in a telephone interview, Deyalsingh said people who saw crime occurring could become depressed, and victims of crime who did not get redress from the courts could feel the system was further victimising them.

He said for those who did not come to their clinics or have some level of support or justice, they would internalise their stress and have anxiety, depression or turn to alcohol.

He advised that trauma clinics be set up in various parts of the country so people could talk and de-stress.

He recalled the case of a single working mother whose son was killed three years ago and then a second son a year ago. He said she still saw the man who was alleged to have killed her second son in their village.

“And she says, ‘Doc cure me.’ How do I cure a person like that?”

He said there was a recommendation that the Police Service Victim Support Unit track the victims of crimes as well as their relatives.

Deyalsingh said people could be advised to go to the beach or take a walk to relax but people were losing out on this “nature therapy” because of a loss of safe spaces due to crime. He advised that security forces have more of a presence in these spaces so people could feel safe enough to go.

Deyalsingh said when people saw crime in the media every day there was the “crime multiplier effect” and their sense of fear and anticipation of being a victim of crime increased. He said they had to advise some people to shut out the traditional media and social media for the healing process to occur.

“It is more difficult to heal persons from the murder of a friend or relative in Trinidad and everyday there is a murder in the news.”

President of the TT Association of Psychologists Dr Margaret Nakhid-Chatoor said, with the crime over the past few months, many people had become passive or numb because there was “too much of everything.”

“They begin to just go with the flow and exist because they have to.”

She said people had told her they had stopped listening to the news, watching television or reading newspapers.

“They don’t want to hear any more.”

She said some people experience hyper vigilance and paranoia where they lock themselves in at home earlier and do not go out at a certain time. She said the fear was not misplaced.

“People have ceased to enjoy what’s out there because they are considering their safety.”

She said people did not trust the National Security Minister and the security forces to take care of them and put things in place to stop spiralling crime.

“Crime is spiralling out, people no longer have jobs, prices going up, maxi fares going up. People ask me, ‘When will it end? When will see the light?’”

Nakhid-Chatoor said newspapers highlighted all the bad while people were counting on the media to give a bit of hope and light.

She advised that people needed to be more vigilant for themselves and their neighbours.

“But enjoy Christmas and continue to let the spirit overwhelm them.”

She encouraged people to continue to give and smile, which she said was contagious.

“In a tunnel of darkness one little candle can illuminate it.”

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