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| Simin Sabri |
Speaking to Voice of America, psychiatrist and activist Simin Sabri believes that children, as well as certain groups who are closely exposed to the harsh realities of the coronavirus crisis—such as healthcare workers—may suffer severe psychological trauma.
"It depends on which society we are talking about. For example, in developed countries, families are in lockdown at home, but the government supports its citizens. A wealthy country tells its people, ‘Stay at home, take care of your health, I will take care of your financial needs.’ But in developing countries, which make up the majority of the world, people have to go out and work. They rely on their daily earnings to survive. This creates a significant psychological burden."
She adds, "The advice I would give today to a family in quarantine in Norway would not be the same as the advice I would give to a family living in Iran."
A doctor living in Norway, Sabri believes that people can mitigate the negative effects of this period and even turn it into an opportunity by fostering unity and solidarity with their loved ones.
"It depends on us. If we see this crisis as a pressure in our homes, if we exert that pressure on each other and act aggressively, then of course, the trauma will manifest later. Or, on the contrary, even if the situation is not ideal, we can increase our tolerance—learn to compromise with our partners, for example," she explains.
Criticizing the "selfish" behavior of some governments, Sabri adds, "Solidarity is very important. I see this happening. Families and relatives are checking in on each other. Friends who haven’t spoken in five or ten years are calling each other—asking, ‘How are you? How are you getting through this?’ This has been a good opportunity. People have moved beyond individual thinking and developed a positive sense of collective consciousness."
Simin Sabri emphasizes that people who directly witness the tragic events of the pandemic, as well as children, could suffer severe psychological trauma:
"Doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers may experience long-term trauma from this crisis… But my biggest concern is for children. Children are our future. Adults, in one way or another, will manage to get through this. But children should not experience this as a trauma that affects them later in life, making them panic at the mention of a virus or illness. We must be mindful of this. We must act appropriately within our families and minimize future harm as much as possible. Children should not witness us being constantly absorbed in the news, talking about death and crisis, or treating each other aggressively…"
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Psixiatr: Diqqət etməliyik ki, uşaqlarımız pandemiya dönəmində ağır travmalar almasın