Patients with a history of extremely traumatic experiences
show a complex pattern of psychological
and physical disorders which represents a special
challenge for psychiatric care. This problem is
described using the example of the psychiatric/
psychotherapeutic treatment of 13 civil war
refugees with a history of traumatic experiences
from former Yugoslavia in psychiatric treatment
at the Psychiatric Clinic of the University of Ulm.
One substantial problem encountered by these
patients is that, in addition to the original traumatization
in their country of origin, the unstable
psychosocial conditions of their legal exile condition
can lead to re-traumatization which must be
responded to with psychiatric treatment.
Key words: post traumatic stress disorder, Bosnia-
Herzegovina, refugee, psychiatric treatment, retraumatization