I’ve had a fascinating time delivering trauma-informed training to Triumphant Mercy, the first of the organisations that I am working with here in Lebanon. Their focus is predominantly supporting Lebanese children, women and families from disadvantaged and vulnerable backgrounds for one reason or another. The discussions that have come from the training with regard to issues of trauma in Lebanon have been very insightful, and below are a few jottings relating to these conversations, which help to show the range of challenges that are faced. Some of them are similar to traumas experienced in other nations, especially those ‘hidden traumas’ that are being lived out behind closed doors. But when set against the bigger picture of the national traumas that are part of Lebanon’s recent history (quite apart from those associated with their longer-term geopolitical history), the issue of resilience to deal with the range of traumas becomes a massive challenge.
Recent events that Lebanon has experienced as a nation:
- - Civil war
- - War with Israel
- - War with Syria
- - Port blast explosion
- - Financial collapse
- - Refugee influx
- - Covid pandemic
- - Living with a permanent mindset of ‘what next’ as the recent history feels like a litany of national traumatic events ie living on permanent state of waiting for next trauma.
o This is having a particular impact on young adults, who just don’t know if they can plan a life in Lebanon in the long-term
o Also an impact on starting new businesses etc, as some nervousness about the feeling of instability and unpredictability
Also, at a more individual or family-based level
- - High parental expectations regarding education achievements
- - Verbal abuse – especially adults to children
- - Physical abuse – often normalised re cultural norms
- - Emotional abuse
- - Mental abuse
- - Chaotic family situations and relationship challenges between husband and wife
- - Body image issues amongst Gen Z, and competitively high pressure and expectations from peers regarding achievements and image.
Trauma for the children
- - Abuses as above, plus watching their parents struggling as a result of so many pressures that are outworked in family-based traumas
- - Critical and high expectation parents putting undue pressure on children
- - Parents talking about the war in front of the kids, so traumatising the children as they hear about past wars, fears of wars etc.
Generational difference:
- - older adults = ‘it’s just how it is’ – talk about the concept of trauma is taboo with older generation, and they just don’t talk about it. They tend to be much more emotionally disconnected as a result.
- - younger adults and teenagers = ‘everything is a trauma’. Very switched on re trauma as a result of being more globally connected and consuming perspectives from different parts of the world. This then can lead to perhaps interpreting a much broader range of experiences in the context of trauma.
- So, a big mismatch between the two generations and they struggle to communicate with each other about it. Therefore, a big gap in emotional support and understanding between the two groups.
Religion-related trauma: in some churches and religious groups there is a lot of teaching that trauma is an indication of sin and or failure to be a good Christian. Therefore, all are urged to pray more and be a better Christian and then they won’t suffer the trauma. This then results in further guilt, shame, and sense of failure etc, which exacerbates the trauma. NB this is as relating to personal traumas not national traumas.
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