Abstract
The recent release of British and American hostages held by fundamentalist Islamic groups in Lebanon has received national and international publicity. The Psychiatric Division of the Royal Air Force Medical Service has been involved with the management of released British nationals and others but, in the interests of the hostages and their families, has delayed public discussion of the matter. From the British and American viewpoint the recent hostage crisis in the Lebanon has now resolved. It therefore now seems appropriate to describe in general terms the principles upon which early management was based.
Highlights
It was evident that the Stockholm Syndrome did not develop
The Psychiatric Division of the Royal Air Force Medical Branch, tasked with managing these problems, has developed a broad programme of screening, debriefing and support in order to promote the process of reintegration and to protect the hostages and their families from outside exploi tation
It is hoped that this programme which was undertaken by Royal Air Force psychiatrists and nurses, and adopted a very pragmatic approach which crossed professional and theoretical bound aries and generally eschewed the Medical Model, will help to prevent future development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other psychological problems
Summary
The recent release of British and American hostages held by fundamentalist Islamic groups in Lebanon has received national and international publicity. The Psychiatric Division of the Royal Air Force Medical Service has been involved with the manage ment of released British nationals and others but, in the interests of the hostages and their families, has delayed public discussion of the matter. From the British and American viewpoint the recent hostage crisis in the Lebanon has resolved. We learnt that after long periods of solitary confinement the hostages spent some time in small groups and had no communication problems but residual social phobia. Concepts from individual therapies, family and group therapies, crisis intervention, psychological debriefing tech niques, rehabilitation and occupational psychiatry were drawn upon to good effect. Secure surroundings were essential to facilitate re choanbdiliittiaotniosn ofanrdelaptievremistanecntcuoauryn.terTshetoOtfafkiceerpsl'aMceeisns at Royal Air Force Lyneham was the most frequently used venue which provided adequate protection, other locations were utilised which fulfilled the same requirements
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