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Dr. Anis Ahmed, medical lead in psychiatry at Aston Medical Faculty, has co-written an article wanting on the psychological well being challenges for the victims of “enforced disappearances.”
That is outlined by the UN as “the arrest, detention, abduction, or any other form of deprivation of liberty by state agents, or those acting with state approval.”
Collectively along with his co-author, Professor Andrew Forrester, professor of forensic psychiatry at Cardiff College, Dr. Ahmed says that the psychological trauma of victims and their households is under-researched. There may be, due to this fact, no clear steerage for psychological well being professionals treating them. The authors say that there’s a dire must develop evidence-based therapies, and that addressing the therapeutic void is “not just a clinical necessity, but a moral imperative.”
The paper is revealed within the journal Medication, Science and the Regulation.
Enforced disappearances are a globally important human rights violation, affecting hundreds of individuals throughout the globe. Historic examples embody the “Dirty War” in Argentina (1976–1983), the place 30,000 individuals went lacking, whereas in Syria now, tens of hundreds of persons are lacking as a result of state repression and battle.
Households of those that have disappeared stay in a state of what’s generally known as ambiguous loss, with a chronic state of uncertainty through which they’re unable to grieve or transfer ahead, typically struggling continual despair and nervousness, and in some circumstances, post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD).
Conventional grief remedy assumes a confirmed dying, and the social and cultural rituals that observe enable for mourning and closure. Nevertheless, in circumstances of enforced disappearance, these circumstances are absent. Households are left in a painful limbo, trapped between hope and despair, with no closure. Standard grief fashions fail to deal with the distinctive psychological struggling attributable to extended uncertainty and ambiguous loss.
Victims who return additionally face distinctive challenges. In addition to the psychological aftermath of extended captivity and torture, they battle with belief, hypervigilance and disgrace. Reappearance can entice undesirable consideration, suspicion and social stigma.
Dr. Ahmed and Professor Forrester acknowledge the numerous challenges in conducting analysis and growing the suitable psychological well being tips. Concern acts as a strong barrier, not just for victims, who might stay silent as a result of threats of reprisal or renewed concentrating on, but in addition for psychological well being professionals, who might hesitate to have interaction totally out of concern for their very own security.
Even with assurances of medical confidentiality, many are solely keen to talk brazenly after the autumn of an oppressive regime, obstructing efforts to uncover the total extent of hurt and delaying the event of efficient, culturally applicable therapies.
They are saying that step one in direction of growing the mandatory steerage is a examine to map the prevalence and psychological affect throughout totally different areas. The second step ought to be growing and testing concentrating on therapies.
They write, “Mental health professionals must advocate for policy changes that support victims’ families, including legal recognition of their status, access to mental health services, and the right to seek justice without persecution. International psychiatric associations, human rights organizations, and trauma researchers need to collaborate to fill this critical gap.”
Dr. Ahmed says, “Enforced disappearances remain a deeply neglected area in academic and clinical discourse, especially concerning mental health impacts. I’m currently working to establish an international, multidisciplinary research collaboration to address this gap—bringing together voices from psychiatry, anthropology, sociology, human rights, and legal studies. This is a complex issue that requires cross-sector engagement.”
On 29 August 2025, Dr. Ahmed will host a world convention in London entitled “Healing the Unseen Scars: Mental Health Responses to Enforced Disappearances.” Held in commemoration of World Enforced Disappearances Day on 30 August, the occasion will embody contributions from UN representatives, forensic psychiatrists, human rights attorneys, and world researchers, together with from Latin America and South Asia.
As well as, Dr. Ahmed is working with victims, households and psychological well being professionals in Bangladesh to develop suggestions for a peer-reviewed publication, aiming to set the muse for future analysis and coverage advocacy.
Extra data:
Anis Ahmed et al, Psychological well being challenges of enforced disappearances: A name for analysis and motion, Medication, Science and the Regulation (2025). DOI: 10.1177/00258024251349373
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Aston College
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Victims of ‘enforced disappearances’ face distinctive psychological well being challenges, says researcher (2025, August 11)
retrieved 11 August 2025
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