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Available for over a year

With the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings approaching, health authorities have acknowledged that hundreds of witnesses to the attacks could be vulnerable to developing Post traumatic Stress disorder. As we take time to remember those caught up in the horrific tragedy that day and digest further terror attacks in Tunisia, France and Kuwait yesterday, it's evident that even just an awareness that sudden threats to our lives can happen at any time, can shake us to our very core. Of the 900 registered witnesses to the 7/7 bombings, 600 were screened and half of them showed signs and symptoms of PTSD, such as flashbacks of the day's events, poor sleep, panic attacks and avoidance of reminders of the trauma. Treating PTSD in my work as consultant psychiatrist, I've found that it is the sudden and unexpected nature of these events that is particularly disturbing. We often work hard to arrange our lives in a way that minimises loss, or anything that threatens our mortality or morbidity, it is a vulnerability we all share. Yes it has a protective function but I see it as a vulnerability because it is all too often based on irrational fear rather than balanced discernment. It is at the heart of racism, sexism, terrorism and every other type of exploitation known to man. Fear bewilders us and overcoming it is one of our greatest challenges because fear gives us the illusion that hanging onto it will keep us safe. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna confirms that our biggest fears are indeed of disease, old age and death but he goes on to explain that these fears are based on our human sense of self which is ever changing and transient. Fear is rooted in the material mind but is not present in our spiritual intelligence. Our spiritual intelligence is most active when we understand and are connected with the significant part of our selves that transcends, being human. He goes on to explain that when we live life using the spiritual paradigm as our yardstick, our inherent fearlessness comes to the forefront and we will see order amongst chaos. Our minds will always have a tendency to latch onto things that make us fearful, this will be particularly challenging after yesterday's shocking events. But for the victims, their loved ones, witnesses and anyone who has even heard about these events, walking the journey of shock, grief, reflection and acceptance when coupled with practices like meditation and mindfulness can help us to connect with the deepest sense of ourselves, to help overcome our mental vulnerabilities and find a space where we feel grounded and better able to cope.