The experiences of chemical weapon victims: pain as a pleasant sensation

Multiple physical problems and psychosocial issues among chemical injured patients can be a source of stress. They often use mental strategies to cope with their problems. The aim of this research was to assess these issues and problems experienced by chemical warfare victims and how they cope with it.

This qualitative study was conducted in 2017 using content analysis. Seventeen chemical weapons victims were selected based on purposeful sampling from veteran’s recreation referral to therapeutic and training center in Chaboksar (A city in northern of Iran). Data were collected through conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews and making filed notes. Data analysis was performed according to the proposed steps by Granhym & Lundman.

During the data analysis, one main theme (Coping with pain in the shadow of values), four categories and twelve subcategories including physical pain (acute pain and chronic pain), psychological discomfort (nightmare, depression and misconception), unsuitable social context (feeling abandoned, fearing from an unforeseen future and stigmatization) and coping (coping because of patriotism, religious coping, family coping and coping by force) emerged from the interviews.

Coping might be a way for facing to pain but it is certainly neither easy nor joyful. Putting to suffer the necessary facilities, social and family support and changing the culture beliefs for decreasing the social stigma are the most effective ways of their treatment.