5 Common Psychological Effects After Surviving An Earthquake
The earthquake victims who managed to save their lives after the earthquake in Kahramanmaraş, which deeply affected our country in 10 provinces, are left alone with various health problems and major trauma. Post-earthquake relief and rescue efforts are largely focused on saving lives, restoring living things, and repairing construction and infrastructure services.
However, an earthquake is a natural disaster that can cause physical destruction and death, but can also cause serious psychological problems for survivors. So, what are the psychological effects and risks of the earthquake? Psychiatrist Dr. Tuba Erdogan provided information on the subject.
Stress caused by such distressing events can alter hormone levels (cortisol and catecholamines, also female estrogen), sleep and in the long term hypertension, tachycardia and sometimes myocardial infarction, but it is also necessary to alter the perception of stress in adults and adults differentiate. children.
HYPERALERT (OVERVOLTAGE)
Earthquake survivors often experience extreme excitement. “Any little noise can make him run for cover. This is because the body is on high alert for another threat to your safety, which can make you feel tense and nervous. Usually this reaction will go away on its own, but if it doesn’t, it could be a feature of something much more serious, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
It is perfectly normal for someone to show symptoms of anxiety and/or depression after their life has been threatened and turned upside down by an earthquake. These two diseases are anxiety and depression; It shows similar symptoms such as fatigue, lack of sleep, decreased interest in daily activities, irritability and inability to concentrate. These symptoms may come and go over time, but it’s important to seek treatment if they prove to be permanent.
MENTAL BARRIER
It is also typical for survivors of earthquakes and other natural disasters to constantly relive the event in their minds. It’s important to make sure they stick to it and have a routine as soon as possible to help them get back to a sense of normalcy as it will help them feel more secure in their environment.
POST TRAUMA STRESS DISORDER
The person tends to intrusively and involuntarily “relieve” the traumatic event through recurrent memories and images and in the moments following the tremor; Presence of recurring dreams, nightmares in which the person relives certain scenes of the traumatic event; Response to earthquake-like events (real or symbolic) with intense psychological or physiological disturbances (difficulty falling asleep or insomnia, irritability, difficulty maintaining concentration, hypervigilance, and exaggerated alarm responses).
WHAT EMOTIONS GET THE EARTHQUAKE
Fear, anxiety and panic attacks.
Fear is often a two-sided emotion: on the one hand, it can adapt and push the individual to do their best; on the other hand, it can limit the individual’s existence by making it more vulnerable.
With this phobia or fear “the focus is usually on the desire to control the possibility of another earthquake. However, this is clearly beyond our control and the fear of imminent earthquakes causes anxiety.