Coping with Trauma in the Aftermath of Terrorism and War

If an individual or their loved one has experienced war or terrorism, the impact often lingers long after the physical conflict has ended. The effects are not limited to those directly involved. Future generations can inherit the emotional scars, including hypervigilance, sudden anxiety in response to loud noises, and deep, unresolved grief and anger. Trauma from such experiences fundamentally alters one’s sense of safety, often leaving survivors in a constant state of emotional alertness. Despite these challenges, healing is possible.

Understanding War Trauma and its Causes

War trauma is the psychological damage that stems from violence, loss, or displacement that takes place during conflict. We tend to think of it mainly in terms of the soldiers who return with PTSD, but civilians are often caught in the middle, experiencing bombings, shootings, or even torture firsthand.

They may lose family, friends, or their homes. Some are injured or permanently disabled, while others are forced to flee and leave their entire lives behind.

The psychological toll is staggering and immense. A study in World Psychology shows the impact of decades of conflict in Afghanistan: 42% of the population lives with PTSD, 68% with depression, and 73% with anxiety. It can be hard to imagine a world where nearly half the population has PTSD ^[1]. 

Intergenerational Effects

Trauma from war doesn’t always stop with those who directly experienced it. Research on Holocaust survivors, for instance, has revealed that trauma and stressor-related disorders can be passed down to future generations. Children and grandchildren of survivors often struggle with mental health challenges and behavioral issues, even if they were never exposed to the original traumatic events ^[2]. 

This intergenerational transmission of trauma can unfold in a variety of ways. In many families, painful memories are left unspoken, creating a silence that children absorb and interpret, often without fully understanding their origins. In other words, parents who have lived through trauma may become overly protective, shaping their children’s worldview as inherently unsafe. Cultural values tied to survival, such as hyper-vigilance, emotional suppression, or mistrust, can also shape how young people learn to relate to others and manage their emotions.

Biologically, trauma may alter gene expression through a process known as epigenetics. Although the genetic code itself remains intact, war-related stress can affect how specific genes are expressed, which in turn influences stress regulation and emotional well-being. These changes can be inherited, increasing the risk for anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions ^[2]. 

Emerging research even suggests that trauma can lead to physical changes in the brain. Descendants of trauma survivors may have smaller amygdalas and hippocampuses—regions that help regulate emotion and memory, making them more prone to heightened stress responses. This underscores how deeply trauma can become embedded across generations, affecting both mind and body ^[2].

Community-Wide Consequences of War Trauma

The psychological toll of war extends far beyond individuals; it reverberates through entire communities. When conflict tears apart the social fabric, vital support systems such as families, cultural traditions, and local networks often unravel. These structures are essential for collective healing, and their breakdown leaves many without the emotional or practical support they need to recover.

Vulnerable populations, including women, children, refugees, and people with disabilities, often bear the brunt of this disruption. Their increased exposure to violence, displacement, and marginalization can intensify the mental health burden and make recovery even more challenging.

Despite the widespread damage, hope and healing are possible. Many survivors demonstrate extraordinary resilience and even experience post-traumatic growth, finding new meaning, strength, and connection after immense adversity ^[3]. 

However, this recovery largely depends on access to consistent and culturally sensitive mental health care, as well as the restoration of supportive family and community networks. When survivors are met with empathy, understanding, and the resources they need, both individuals and communities can begin to rebuild, not only surviving trauma but learning to thrive beyond it. 

The Psychological Impact of Terrorism

While war typically inflicts long-term trauma across generations and communities, terrorism often results in more immediate, acute psychological distress. These events are designed to generate fear and uncertainty, affecting not just direct victims but entire populations. The psychological effects are profound and far-reaching, often resulting in heightened anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and feelings of helplessness.

Impact on Civilians

Terrorist attacks tend to target civilians and occur in everyday places, such as schools, public transportation, and places of worship, intensifying the sense that no one is truly safe. This unpredictability strips away the basic understanding of security that individuals and communities depend on, triggering widespread emotional and psychological disruption.

Research has shown that in the aftermath of such events, children often display PTSD symptoms such as sleep disturbances, heightened fear responses, and separation anxiety. These reactions are not limited to those directly affected; parents and caregivers, while also grappling with their trauma, may underestimate how deeply their children are impacted ^[4]. 

Moreover, the extensive media coverage of terrorist incidents plays a significant role in amplifying these psychological effects. Even individuals who were not present at the scene can experience secondary trauma simply through exposure to distressing imagery and narratives. This aligns with a core objective of terrorism: to spread fear across an entire society, destabilizing the sense of normalcy and safety far beyond the immediate victims.

Terrorism’s Impact on Military Personnel and Vulnerable Populations

While military personnel are trained to operate under extreme pressure, repeated exposure to life-threatening situations, such as those involving terrorism, can still take a significant toll on their mental health. Training may prepare soldiers and first responders to act in the moment, but it does not make them immune to the cumulative effects of chronic stress and trauma. Over time, this strain can lead to burnout, emotional numbness, or the development of PTSD, especially when access to mental health care is limited or stigmatized within these professions.

Beyond military contexts, terrorism disproportionately impacts vulnerable groups. Women, children, and adolescents often experience heightened trauma symptoms following such events, including persistent fear, anxiety, and difficulty regulating emotions. Research also shows that individuals from minority communities may be at greater risk for long-term psychological effects. This increased vulnerability is often linked to systemic inequities, including discrimination and reduced access to mental health support and social resources.

Regardless of a person’s role (civilian, soldier, or first responder), terrorist acts fundamentally disrupt the human need for safety. When safety is compromised, the nervous system reacts with a heightened state of alert. This can lead to long-lasting states of hyperarousal and hypervigilance, where individuals remain emotionally stuck in survival mode. These responses not only affect mental and emotional well-being but also interfere with the ability to return to a sense of normalcy and rebuild stability.

Symptoms of PTSD and Related Disorders

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often the first condition that comes to mind when discussing the psychological effects of war and terrorism. However, trauma can give rise to a range of related mental health disorders, each with its own diagnostic criteria and timeline. These include acute stress disorder (ASD), adjustment disorders, prolonged grief disorder, and trauma-related conditions specific to children, such as reactive attachment disorder and disinhibited social engagement disorder ^[5]. 

One key distinction between ASD and PTSD lies in their duration. Acute stress disorder typically emerges soon after a traumatic event and lasts up to one month. If symptoms persist beyond that period, a diagnosis may shift to PTSD, which can become chronic and severely impair daily functioning if left untreated.

The symptoms of trauma-related disorders can vary widely. Individuals may feel emotionally numb, experience persistent sadness or irritability, and struggle with dysphoria—a general sense of dissatisfaction or hopelessness. Intrusive memories, flashbacks, and avoidance behaviors are also shared. In many cases, these psychological burdens are compounded by co-occurring challenges such as substance use, which can develop as a maladaptive coping mechanism.

Children and adolescents may present symptoms differently from adults, making early intervention and age-appropriate care essential. Regardless of the specific diagnosis, trauma-related disorders can profoundly affect every aspect of a person’s life, emphasizing the importance of timely, comprehensive mental health support. The table below provides a brief overview of signs and symptoms ^[6].

Category	Symptom Description
Intrusive Thoughts	Unwanted, repeating memories, obsessive thoughts, or flashbacks of a traumatic event.
Intrusion Symptoms	Upsetting memories, nightmares, or flashbacks of the trauma. Feeling upset or tense when reminded.
Avoidance Behaviors	Staying away from people, places, or things that bring back memories of the trauma.
Cognitive and Mood Changes	Forgetting parts of the trauma (memory loss), having negative thoughts about oneself or others, or feeling numb and disconnected from others, the world, and even oneself.
Hypervigilance and Arousal	Trouble sleeping, feeling irritable, always on edge, constantly tense, or easily startled. Could also be extremely sensitive to movement, loud or repetitive noises, or bright lights.
Depression	Feeling sad, chronically tired, hopeless, or unable to find joy in activities.
Anxiety	Feeling worried or scared all the time, sometimes with a racing heart or trouble breathing.
Psychosomatic Symptoms	Physical problems, like pain or fatigue, that don’t have a clear medical cause. This can also be related to higher levels of diseases, including heart disease or autoimmune issues.
Interpersonal Sensitivity	Feeling hurt or misunderstood in relationships.
Dissociative Symptoms	Feeling disconnected from yourself or the world around you.
Functional Impairment	Struggling with daily life, like work, chores, self-care, school, or relationships.

Coping Strategies for Trauma Survivors

Coping with trauma in the aftermath of war or terrorism requires more than time; it demands deliberate rebuilding of safety, connection, and identity. Unlike those who survive a traumatic event, such as a car accident, and can return to a familiar home, family, and support system, survivors of war often lose these fundamental anchors. Displacement, community breakdown, and ongoing instability leave little opportunity for natural recovery, making intentional intervention essential.

To support healing, trauma survivors need access to resources that help restore structure and meaning. This includes establishing new routines, rebuilding social networks, and engaging in therapeutic services. Support groups, family therapy, and remote or in-person counseling offer safe environments for processing trauma. 

For refugees and displaced persons, culturally sensitive programs that preserve tradition, language, and religious practices are especially vital. A strong cultural identity can reinforce resilience, particularly for children navigating the chaos of post-conflict life ^[7]. 

Family-based interventions can also be powerful. Encouraging open communication within families and fostering cultural pride helps prevent the intergenerational transmission of fear and trauma. Programs that promote collective activities, storytelling, and artistic expression can help survivors regain a sense of belonging and purpose.

Additionally, body-based therapies such as yoga, dance, and theater allow survivors to process trauma through movement, which is essential for regulating the nervous system. Practices like mindfulness, journaling, and breathwork offer ways to manage intrusive thoughts and reconnect with inner calm.

Ultimately, trauma recovery must address the whole person—emotionally, socially, physically, and spiritually. Restoring education, community spaces, and a sense of normalcy lays the groundwork for lasting healing and renewed hope.

Therapeutic Barriers and Holistic Approaches in War Trauma Treatment

One unique challenge that therapists face when working with survivors of war trauma is the presence of strong in-group versus out-group dynamics. As explained by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk in The Body Keeps the Score, this bias can significantly affect the therapeutic process, particularly among war veterans. Survivors of war often form deep bonds with others who have shared their traumatic experiences, viewing them as their trusted in-group. In contrast, therapists, especially those without similar lived experiences, may be perceived as outsiders. This perception can create emotional distance and resistance, which complicates the therapeutic alliance and limits treatment effectiveness ^[8]. 

Understanding this dynamic is critical for building trust and delivering effective care. Dr. van der Kolk emphasizes the importance of incorporating holistic methods that recognize the body’s role in trauma, advocating for more integrative therapeutic strategies beyond conventional talk therapy.

While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) remains a valuable tool for helping individuals recognize and challenge trauma-related thought patterns, it often works best when used alongside other approaches. These include:

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): which uses guided eye movements to help individuals reprocess traumatic memories.
  
• Exposure Therapy: is designed to gradually reduce fear and avoidance by confronting traumatic triggers in a controlled setting.
  
• Mindful Movement Practices: such as yoga, support emotional regulation and help survivors reconnect with their bodies.
  
• Neurofeedback: is a technique that retrains brainwave activity to improve attention, emotional stability, and trauma resilience.
  
• Body-based therapies: such as dance, theater, and breathwork, promote healing through movement and social connection.
  

Addressing war trauma requires a comprehensive and personalized approach. By blending evidence-based treatments with body-centered and community-oriented practices, clinicians can better meet the complex needs of trauma survivors, fostering healing in both mind and body.

Pathways to Healing from War Trauma

Healing from war trauma is a collective process that reaches far beyond individual therapy. Effective treatment must address both personal recovery and the rebuilding of community networks, cultural identity, and family connections. Survivors often face the loss of routines, safety, and social structures—foundations that must be slowly restored to foster lasting healing. Recovery involves helping individuals regain a sense of agency and control over their lives while also strengthening the systems around them that support mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Therapeutic efforts should empower survivors through trauma-informed care, cultural reconnection, and holistic approaches that treat both mind and body. Families and communities must be engaged in the healing process, as their role is vital in restoring a sense of belonging and trust. Ultimately, recovery is not just about managing symptoms, but also about creating a renewed sense of safety, meaning, and hope for survivors and future generations alike.