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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

EV0328

Working in a war zone: resilience or post-traumatic stress disorder? A case report

WORKING IN A WAR ZONE: RESILIENCE OR PTSD? CASE REPORT

Post-traumatic stress disorder in an adult with no psychiatric history who was exposed to repeated traumatic events in a war zone partially improved with integrated treatment combining medication and trauma-focused psychotherapy.

This presentation aims to discuss the complex clinical presentation and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in armed conflict settings through a case report. The background highlights that repeated exposure to life-threatening events, violence, forced displacement, and persistent insecurity markedly increases the risk of enduring trauma symptoms; that PTSD in this context often involves comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders and severe functional impairment; and that limited mental health resources in conflict-affected regions complicate diagnosis and treatment. The case concerns an adult patient with no prior psychiatric history who developed PTSD after exposure to repeated traumatic events in a war zone. The clinical presentation included intrusive memories, recurrent flashbacks, avoidance behaviors, emotional numbing, hyperarousal, an exaggerated startle response, irritability, and severe sleep disturbance with frequent nightmares, alongside prominent depressive symptoms such as hopelessness, anhedonia, and lack of motivation; these symptoms led to severe impairment in occupational functioning and social relationships. Following a comprehensive psychiatric assessment, the diagnosis was established according to ICD-10 and DSM-5 criteria. Treatment involved initiating a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) with gradual dose titration and providing adjunctive treatment for sleep disturbance and anxiety; supportive psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and trauma-focused interventions were delivered concurrently. During follow-up, the frequency and severity of intrusion symptoms decreased, sleep improved, anxiety diminished, and daily functioning was partially restored; the authors emphasize the importance of comprehensive, individualized strategies combining pharmacotherapy and trauma-focused psychotherapy for war-related PTSD.

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