Aug 02, 2026 Features / Columnists, News

(Kaieteur News) – The sinking of the MV Barima on July 18, 2026, was not only a maritime disaster; it was a profound psychological wound. The tragedy produced fear, anger, helplessness, guilt and a deep loss of trust. As I provide psychological care for some survivors, relatives and people of the wider Guyanese society, many are experiencing acute grief, acute stress reactions or post-traumatic stress disorder. Complex PTSD is commonly associated with prolonged, repeated or multiple traumatic experiences from which escape feels difficult or impossible. The Barima disaster contributed to complex trauma when it interacts with earlier abuse, violence, neglect, previous bereavement, institutional betrayal or prolonged uncertainty that remains unresolved, which has become a Guyanese way of life.

Complex PTSD is re-experiencing the trauma through intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks; avoiding reminders of the event; and living with a persistent sense of current danger. It also includes three major disturbances in self-organisation: severe difficulty regulating emotions, a persistently negative view of oneself, and continuing problems forming or sustaining relationships.