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Severe psychological trauma causes lasting damage — this program acts as a vaccine.

We are providing as a community service a free download of a program developed by psychiatrists and psychologists at the World Health Organization that acts as a vaccine against trauma. It cuts new psychiatric diagnoses by roughly half.

While available in many languages, we are hosting the editions for people who are in active war zones or under recent attack — including Iran, Ukraine, and Venezuela — along with an English version for anyone who needs it.

1 Download the booklet in your language below.
2 Start reading the booklet from the beginning.
3 Listen to the audio when the booklet tells you to.

The illustrations are being updated — please focus on the content, not the artwork.

Choose your language to read the booklet and listen to the audio

Available in many other languages through the World Health Organization.

The evidence

  • In Syrian refugees: depression cut by 45%, PTSD by 54%, anxiety by 49%. (World Psychiatry, 2022)
  • In South Sudanese refugee women without pre-existing disorders: 84% lower risk of developing a mental disorder. (BMJ Open, 2023)
  • Tested in nearly 1,800 people across countries. Benefits are strongest and most lasting when the trauma is severe and ongoing — in milder circumstances, early gains sometimes were less obvious over time.

Share this with everyone who needs it

Know someone going through a hard time? This WHO program could prevent them from developing depression, PTSD, or anxiety. Send them the link — it takes 5 seconds and could change their life.

Paste it in a text, email, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn — anywhere

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When symptoms are severe

SH+ is a prevention tool — not a substitute for psychiatric care. If you or someone you know has severe symptoms that interfere with daily life, seek professional treatment.

If there is danger to yourself or others, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately. For everything else — before a crisis or after one — a qualified psychiatrist can evaluate your situation and recommend a treatment plan. Our practice may be able to help.

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