Going Mental

Help me :(

During disasters, no one can anticipate the level of stress and burden that comes with it. Sure, the logistic team can handle everything that the victims may need, but at times what should really be a matter of concern is the mental state of the victims. There are a few mental problems that may accompany different stages or phases after disaster:

• Critical Phase
• Acute stress disorders: this usually occur less than one month after an extreme stressor.
• After critical phase
• Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD): This can occur more than one month after an extreme stressor. It can also occur immediately for those who has had some sort of traumatic experiences previously.
• Prolonged Stressors
• After a catastrophic experience, the patient can endure unwanted personality change which is caused by his/her way of dealing with the disaster.

Lets us look into detail what PTSD is all about

Based on experience, i have encountered a few cases where some of my friends and family members are traumatized by a gruesome incident they ever encountered in their lives. For example, when one is involved in an accident, it will take them a very long time to actually get in another car ride ever again. The following are the main symptoms of PTSD:

• "Flashbacks" about the traumatic event
• feelings of estrangement or detachment
• nightmares
• sleep disturbances 
• impaired functioning
• occupational instability
• memory disturbances
• parenting or marital difficulties

The patients may withdraw themselves from doing some activities that they think may cause them to have the same experience and are terrified for everything. When things like these happen, there are two possible route on how one can individually deal with their problem. 

They can either have healthy coping mechanisms or maladaptive coping strategies. Its these maladaptive coping strategies that we have to be very careful and clever to detect. 

Examples of maladaptive coping strategies are like:

• An increased use or abuse of alcohol, coffee, drugs, gambling, tobacco, etc.
• A compulsion to work more than usual
• A temptation to make hasty major life-decisions (e.g., a job change, a divorce)
• A tendency to completely avoid any feelings or thoughts about the event.

When an event of disaster happens, it can certainly cause very complicated mental health and psychosocial problems. The effect of the disaster varies from people, country and also economic backgrounds. For example, in developing countries, life problems and secondary disaster following the disaster is even prominent than the trauma primarily faced.

Therefore, prompt evaluation of the mental status of the people who deals with disaster should be done regularly and no "simple" sign should be taken lightly. Regular support groups in which survivors can discuss their feelings and experiences are also very important so that all their negativity can be transformed into effective and positive communication.

References:

1.     Lecture Note: Disaster Management in Mental Health (by Dr. Bambang Hastha Yoga, Sp.KJ)

2.     Medicine.net. Search on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder