Associate Professor Antonina Besiedina took part in the webinar “Webinar Series on Fundamentals of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: PTSD in Young People,” which was held as part of achieving one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—Good Health and Well-Being—and within the framework of the project “Specialized Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents.” The project is being implemented by the Coordination Center for Mental Health of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in partnership with the European Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP), with the support of UNICEF in Ukraine, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the National Health Service of Ukraine.
The webinar speaker, Andrea Danese, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London and Adjunct Professor at the Yale Child Study Center, explained what is important to know about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as how and in whom PTSD may develop. Particular attention was paid to identifying PTSD symptoms, including emotional numbness, panic attacks, chronic pain, mistrust, difficulties in everyday life, substance abuse (alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs), and the emergence of suicidal thoughts. An equally important issue—the treatment of PTSD—was also addressed, covering both psychotherapy and pharmacological interventions. Valuable advice on PTSD prevention and early intervention will be useful when working with young people.
We sincerely thank the speaker for the comprehensive and well-structured presentation.
