People who have endured more than 30 years of conflict in the North are still labouring with its effects and are afraid to talk openly about their experiences.
They still fear retribution and this is hindering the healing process in the minds of many adversely affected by the Troubles, according to research carried out for Threshold, a mental health charity based in Belfast.
Dr Raman Kapur, the charity's director and a consultant clinical psychologist, delivered the findings of the study to Assembly members and leading figures in public administration yesterday in Belfast. Dr Kapur said the attitude of the 1970s that "loose talk costs lives" still predominated in the North.
"What we are saying now is that people still do not feel safe [to talk]. We may have a political peace process but on the ground there is still a war psychology.
"People live in fear of their lives. The truth is, loose talk heals minds," said Dr Kapur.
He told The Irish Times that a culture persists in general practice which has led to an overemphasis on drugs and too little attention given to what he called "talking therapy".
He said: "We advocate talking therapy, either one-on-one or group sessions with a trained analyst." The idea is that people can see an analyst in whatever format at the same time every week, at the same place for 10 or 20 sessions or whatever is needed.
At the launch of the research findings he said: "People are terrified to talk and it's linked to trauma.
"That's to be expected after 35 years of conflict here. Even the middle classes in quiet areas feel affected - they're more edgy."
He insists the road to greater mental health is via talking, not drug dependency.
"Our minds are not at peace. Any normal human being has got to be affected by 30 years of violence and exposure to death.
"We show symptoms of a troubled mind. The only cure is talking freely about it. We have to set up ways to stop traumatising each other with words, bombs and bullets."
Dr Kapur, who is also the honorary senior lecturer at the Queen's University School of Psychiatry, stressed the need for people to have a "safe haven" where they can express themselves openly and where they can receive remedial care for the mental health injuries inflicted by the North's violence.
"We must provide safe havens with no-riot zones for people to get help and deal with the human effects of the conflict," he said.
The North has prescription rates for tranquillisers, sedatives and anti-depressants well ahead of those in England.
In some cases, prescription rates are up to 75 per cent higher in Northern Ireland than in England.
Overall, mental health needs are 25 per cent higher per capita than in Britain, Dr Kapur said.
Tranquilisers are generally prescribed by doctors for those suffering from anxiety while sedatives are given to those whose sleep is affected by mental health problems.
Anti-depressants are normally prescribed for those "feeling low".
Threshold is a charity which works to provide what it calls progressive services in mental health and is fully paid for by the social services.
