Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after terrorist attacks on the example of events on the Utoya island

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of post-traumatic stress disorder in psychological and historical terms, with particular emphasis on the analysis of reactions to the stressful situation, that is a terrorist attack. The first part of the text is devoted to the theory of post-traumatic stress. The authors explain the physiology, mechanisms and genesis of post-traumatic stress, its short historical outline and contemporary classification of criteria determining the PTSD diagnosis, both according to the DSM-IV-TR manual and changes introduced by DSM 5. After acquainting the reader with the basic terminology related to post-traumatic stress disorder, the authors analyze the case of the stressful situation – the attack on the Norwegian island of Utoya. The article describes the events of July 22, 2011, and focuses on the analysis of posttraumatic reactions that followed the attack among its direct participants, as well as among their relatives. Not only does this analysis cover strictly statistical issues, but also psychological or medical phenomena of post-traumatic stress among the victims of Anders Brevik. Based on actions taken by the Norwegian services, the authors attempt to draw and systematize conclusions on the general principles of dealing with victims of potential terrorist attacks.