
Sitting at the 11A seat, near the rescue exit, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh jumped from the plane to flames. The body covered with blood, haggard but conscious, it was filmed walking towards an ambulance. A miracle, survivor of the AI 171 flight crash connecting Ahmedabad to London. By his side on the plane was his brother Ajay, always missing, like the rest of his family.
A family return that turns to drama
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, British citizen born in India and installed in Leicester, returned from a family stay. Married and father of a 4-year-old boy, he was about to return to the United Kingdom when the accident occurred. Wounded in the face, arms, legs, suffering from multiple fractures and burns, he was admitted to Ahmedabad civilian hospital.
“”He was disoriented, with injuries all over his body. But he seems out of danger“said the head of the surgery department, interviewed by CNN. Doctors provide an outing”Within a day or two“.
Protective amnesia
Since the accident, Vishwash has suffered from memory loss. A phenomenon known in the consequences of severe trauma, explains psychologist Amélie Boukhobza: “Faced with an extreme shock as to approach death, our brain activates powerful protective mechanisms, including amnesia. “
In the case of the survivor, it would be a dissociative amnesia: “The memories are there, somewhere, but as locked in an airtight box. It is a strategy to avoid constantly reliving horror.“”
This form of mental protection can be temporary, but it is only one of the many side effects of such brutal trauma. “”Surviving an event as serious as an airplane accident, it is an outing of any illusion and a direct confrontation with the reality of death. Which is never without consequences for the continuation necessarily“Underlines the psychologist.
Post-traumatic shock, a course in several stages
In the days following such a drama, emotional shock is often manifested by a state of amazement. “”The first time of shock and amazement is felt. The latter can manifest itself by feelings of unreality, as if the event had not really happened or as if we were detached from it“, describes Amélie Boukhobza.
Then the symptoms evolve. The fear of dying can become omnipresent. “Proximity to death can generate an intense fear of death itself. This can result in panic attacks, generalized anxiety, a fear that the event will happen again.“”
Daily gestures, such as taking the plane or even a simple train, can then become unbearable.
Another possible weight for Vishwash: the guilt of the survivor. “”Surviving such a disaster, where others are dead, can generate intense guilt to have survived and questions such as ‘why me?’“, She adds.
Essential psychological care
To avoid a descent into post-traumatic stress syndrome (SSPT), specialized psychological support is essential.
“It is not uncommon to develop after a few months to a few months a post-traumatic stress syndrome. The table is quite typical with flashbacks, nightmares, sleep disorders, hypervigilance …“”
Among the recommended treatments, the EMDR (Eye Movement DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING) is particularly effective.
“”It is a particularly effective technique in this case. Return the event in session to retreat will not only lower the negative emotional impact, but also to remove the negative and irrational beliefs associated with the event, such as guilt“Concludes the psychologist.