For several weeks, the victims of the 22 March 2016 attacks came to lay a little of their burden of painful memories before the Brussels court of assizes.
On Wednesday, an army psychologist lifted a corner of the veil on the trauma experienced by those present on that fatal day in Zaventem and Maelbeek, as well as their loved ones.
“When the blasts sounded, I did nothing,” one survivor who was at the airport said. Sitting on a bench, “I continued to eat my toast,” she recalled. Since then, she has wanted to put an end to her suffering and the feeling of guilt that still haunts her by requesting euthanasia.
How to explain this reaction that the victim herself cannot explain or forgive?
“Faced with an event that was far too intense, this woman reverted to a safe behaviour: eating her toast on the bench,” explained Magali Huret, who works at the mental health centre of the Neder-Over-Hembeek military hospital.
Other victims reported feeling cut off from their loved ones, unable to care for their children.
“Again, this is a fairly normal reaction,” the expert continued. “The person has to process a whole series of information about the event and all its consequences (psychological, physical, social…).
“This information takes up a lot of space on the hard drive, if I may be so bold as to use the metaphor,” she explained. “Victims are in so much pain that they have to take care of themselves and are not able to take care of the other person.”
Becoming aware of one’s trauma “means that a series of information has already been processed and space is freed up on the hard drive.”
Seven years on, can victims heal? “You have to live with your symptoms. We can help the person to better manage their daily life, their emotions, but the images, smells, noises and silences will remain forever.”
