As the war continues, the number of injured military and security personnel seeking help from the rehabilitation department of the Ministry of Defense is on the rise. Over 7,200 people have come forward since the start of the conflict, with a majority being reservists under the age of 30. Out of this group, around 30% have developed psychological problems such as difficulty sleeping, anxiety, depression, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The head of the rehabilitation department, Limor Lurie, predicts that by the end of the year, there will be approximately 20 thousand new cases in the department. Of these, around 8,000 will require psychological, emotional or psychiatric assistance. In order to accommodate this growing number of victims and provide them with proper care, the department’s budget has been increased by 1.9 billion shekels to a total of 7.3 billion for this year alone.
One way that this increased budget is being utilized is through hiring more psychiatrists experienced in treating combat-related mental disorders. The rates for these specialists have also been increased to 700 shekels per case. Additionally, emotional therapists have been recruited in order to help injured service members cope with their trauma. There are currently over 400 emotional therapists working in the department.
Another innovative approach to rehabilitation is therapy dogs. Already, over 155 therapy dogs have been given to victims for their recovery process and an additional 140 are currently in training. These dogs provide a unique form of comfort and support to those who need it most during their journey towards healing.
These measures show that the rehabilitation department is committed to providing holistic support to victims of conflict and helping them recover from their injuries both physically and mentally. With continued efforts like these, it is hopeful that those who have been affected by this war can find peace and healing in their recovery journey
