A perspective from experiences in post conflict Timor Leste: the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings

Abstract

In this paper, several lessons are shared based on experiences in post con£ictTimor Leste. In order to provide care to patients with mental disorders in their home settings, a specialist community based clinical service was developed as an alternative to using the (already) heavily dysfunctional primary health care system.We found that mental disorder accounted for a disproportionate amount of the disability in the community. Symptoms of posttraumatic stress were widespread and often represented a normative survival reaction to threat to life.Treatment is only warranted for the minority whose traumatic stress reactions result in lasting, severe psychosocial dysfunction. Finally, we discuss the need to identify the community’s own concepts of mental suiering and their expressions of these experiences.