How should children be told about earthquakes? – Health news
Civilians and children rescued from the rubble after the disaster of the century, the earthquake, suffer severe trauma. Problems such as nightmares, alienation, avoidance of places and places that remind of the earthquake can also occur. Psychologist Bünyamin Mert Bürtek, who argued that it is possible to alleviate or eliminate the psychological damage that occurs in children, emphasized that after this process, children and adults continue the routines they did before the earthquake, which will play a healing role.
‘Other sources than state and expert information should not be trusted’
Bünyamin Mert Bürtek said, “The psychological damage caused by the disaster is directly proportional to the loss of people’s relatives and the loss of their homes,” he said.
“Children’s routines must be maintained”
Burtek stated that it can be a healing factor for children and adults to continue with their pre-earthquake routines: “Children’s biggest problem right now is uncertainty and fear of the future. Children have trouble feeling safe, losing their home is a sufficient reason for this.Children’s routines need to be maintained, playing the games in their past lives.The fact that they continue to play and watch cartoons has a healing effect at the moment.This applies to adults. As adults get back into their routines, it’s easier for us to understand that the process is temporary Watching a TV show we’ve seen before, eating a meal we’ve eaten before, I can say there are factors that make people feel safer at the same time feel,” he said.
“First of all, we must use clear and understandable language for children”
Burtek provided information on how to communicate with children, saying: “First of all, we must use clear and understandable language for children. We must convey the event in its entirety, preferably by going to their necks, making eye contact and occasionally physical contact, and we always use short and understandable sentences. Phrases like “he went to heaven, he became an angel, the earth took him” can get him into trouble again with a lack of faith in the later years of his life life, as the child’s religious knowledge is still insufficient. At this point, it would be helpful to use more realistic expressions instead of using these expressions. “At the moment, an investigation initiated by the Turkish Psychological Association. association, victims can get free online or face-to-face services. It is necessary to be sensitive to this and to be able to disseminate this information more, our experts are on the ground,” he said.
“State news must be followed”
Burtek said citizens who do not live in disaster areas are also concerned: “There is a fear of earthquakes not only in earthquake areas, but also in places that are not earthquake areas. The reason for this is to follow unreliable sources. When we looked before the earthquake in Kahramanmaraş, some experts had informed us about this earthquake.” It must be followed because experts will not give us false information, which puts their academic career at risk. State news must be followed,” he said.
“They need us to make them feel like we’re with them”
Bünyamin Mert Bürtek continued his words as follows:
“I say it for both children and adults. They need us to make them feel that we are with them, they need us to share their pain. Especially in the first month, we should never be directive. Instead of using suggestive phrases, wanting them to feel we’re with them and sharing their pain, asking, “What do you need?” It is very important to be able to ask the question so that they feel healthy. Various experts offer online training courses in the field of earthquake psychology. These training courses are given to both citizens and recently graduated psychologists. I also organized such an event. will give this training tomorrow but not only me many experts are moving now I can say he put his hand under it we talk about the content of the trainings how to treat children and adults how to deal with people are during the mourning period of loss. Because inspirational phrases can further injure the victims. It is necessary to assist them. This is very important for the first month. “Turkey is an earthquake zone and precautions should be taken. People who take precautions approach this situation with more confidence. Studying the floor and perimeter of our home and having them checked as much as possible will reduce this fear. ” will be. However, as a person knows, he is a being who can increase his self-confidence. We think that when we follow the right means, this fear can be reduced. Because fear comes from a little more uncertainty, we think that we can to win on purpose.”