The Palestenian-Israeli conflict and its impact on the mental health of youth

This paper explores what mental disorders can develop as a result of continued exposure to a conflict situation, specifically the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. A brief history of the region, and a summary of the current diplomatic situation are outlined to give a background to the subsequent information. The specific disorders prevalent in the region are identified and an explanation on how the ongoing conflict in the region exacerbates these disorders is provided These include Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, fear, Selective Mutism, Separation Anxiety, and somatoform disorders. PTSD is extremely prevalent within the young populations of both Palestine and Israel, being more common in the bombed areas. In addition to these disorders, anxiety disorders, such as separation anxiety, are more common in areas that are seldom attacked or areas that have not been affected As a conclusion, a strategy, proposed by Post, is presented to combat the terrorist groups that are undermining the peace process between Palestine and Israel while addressing the various mental issues at hand