2024-04-23 13:54:24
In view of the recent shootings in Brussels, a legitimate question arises: what impact can this kind of information have on residents? A study by the major barometer of the newspaper Le Soir dating from March 25 attempts to answer this question.
The observation is overwhelming: 66% of Brussels residents feel less safe in Brussels since these drug-related incidents. This represents two out of three Brussels residents. And for Belgians, 58% say they do not feel safe when passing through the capital.
Firstly, we went to see the main people concerned in the streets of Brussels. We first asked them regarding their feelings before asking them if these figures surprised them or not. Everyone admits that they are not surprised by these figures but still feel unsafe in our city.
Among them, some even proposed solutions for this problem of feeling insecure. One example would be to invest in youth. Diving into violence at such a young age can be avoided if the right measures are taken.
It cannot be denied that these events have consequences on the population. Evelyne Josse, psychologist, explains the effects of insecurity this way:. “We have two fundamental needs which are security and freedom. When security is not assured, we will curb our need for freedom.”
Indeed, when we feel more secure, we tend to restrict our freedoms. This may mean staying at home, avoiding certain places, etc. A major risk is withdrawal.
In this climate of permanent threat, continuous anxiety can develop. Brief anxiety does not really have an impact on the body but in this specific case, according to Evelyne Josse, the anxiety can last for months. If the anxiety lasts, the effects on the body are: a decline in the immune system, less restorative sleep, a more unstable mood, etc. Added to this climate of anxiety is hypervigilance.
As for the direct witnesses to these shootings, it is not the same thing. Here, we can talk regarding trauma and particularly traumatic reminiscence. Intrusive memories or what are more commonly called flashbacks may surface. Evelyne Josse talks regarding post-traumatic stress.
Mental health has an impact on our health and it is an important issue, especially for young people. Neglecting this aspect might be destructive, we need to talk regarding it. Evelyne Josse still ends on a fairly positive note, that of remaining hopeful and not forgetting that every day we take risks, such as taking our car for example.
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