New beginning in military psychiatry

Key challenges

The key task for Dr. Goods in the fresh function is to support Dr. N. Radosław Tworus, a national defence consultant in the field of psychiatry, including in implementing solutions aimed at comprehensive analysis mental condition of Polish soldiers and their needs in this respect. –Only a reliable analysis of these data will make it possible to diagnose the situation and let to plan adequate programs both preventive, psychoeducational and therapeutic," Dr. Goods emphasizes.

One of the most crucial challenges facing her is the improvement of solutions that will increase the availability of specialised support for soldiers. Currently, it is insufficient: only a twelve military psychiatrists work in Poland, and 1 scientist has on average respective 100 soldiers. This makes it hard to supply care at a level comparable to NATO's armies.

The recently appointed consultant besides points to the request for further action to change the approach to the usage of intellectual and psychiatric assistance by soldiers. It emphasises that the ongoing problem is to stigmatise the usage of specified support.

– The burden of the service, crisis situations or problems of everyday life accumulates and affects the intellectual wellness of military personnel. However, many soldiers fear that reporting difficulties may negatively affect their continued service," the consultant noted. As he adds, educational measures are so needed, and the building of intellectual resilience itself should become part of systemic support, covering both prevention and treatment.

Dr. Goods admits that in the performance of the fresh function, she will be assisted by, among others, clinical experience gained in working with soldiers and veterans, as well as non-clinical activities, including the function of a psychiatrist consultant at the WIM-PIB Veterans Centre. Its professional activities covering the area of global cooperation are besides important. This includes active participation in the work of NATO Centre of Excellence for Military medicine panels dedicated to intellectual Health, as well as in UN-et initiatives.

“I hope it will be a time full of challenges and strengthening systemic psychiatric care solutions addressed to soldiers,” says the expert. Her word as a consultant for military wellness services in psychiatry will last 5 years.

Specialist experience

Dr n. med. Justyna Towarek is simply a specialist in psychiatry and a postgraduate of the First Faculty of medicine at the Medical University of Lublin. In 2018, she obtained her doctorate in medical science. Its main technological and investigation interests focus on post-traumatic issues, as well as studies on health-promoting behaviours and prevention potential, with peculiar emphasis on cognition of toxicity among young adults.

She was besides a organizer of training and survey visits in the field of diagnostics and therapy of intellectual crises for military psychologists, contributing to improving the quality of intellectual care in the Polish Army. In parallel, he develops technological activities in cooperation with the Polish Academy of Sciences, focusing on investigation on the consequences of war on the intellectual wellness of soldiers and civilians in Ukraine.