Music festival survivors, victim's relatives discuss PTSD, substance abuse, mental health effects
A public event commemorating Hamas's October 7 massacre united over 500 individuals as they addressed PTSD, substance abuse, and other mental health effects after surviving or losing relatives.
Survivors and relatives of victims from the October 7 terror attacks at four music festivals gathered in Tel Aviv on September 8 for a conference titled "Maintaining the Balance." Organized by the Nova Tribe Community Association and the Israeli Center for Addiction and Mental Health, the event aimed to explore the links between trauma, substance abuse, and mental health effects.
Over 500 attendees, including Daniela Dor Levin and Doron Mizrahi, participated in the discussion. Prof. Shauli Lev-Ran, co-founder of the Israeli Center for Addiction and Mental Health, presented research data indicating that 54% of Israelis with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms also experience problematic substance use.
Lev-Ran emphasized the importance of addressing substance abuse alongside trauma treatment, as relying on substances can hinder recovery. The conference featured panel discussions with festival survivors and bereaved families to share coping strategies and emphasize the need for an open, non-judgmental environment to support mental health recovery.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
