DRARR

2.  By its nature, it is a very stressful, life-
altering experiences causing psychological
effects and social disruptions.
 It affects every aspect of the life of an
individual, a family, or a community.
 Degree of social disruptions is dependent
on the nature and scope of the disaster.

3.  Degree of social disruption can be
ranged from:
› Mild anxiety and family dysfunction to
separation anxiety, post traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), conduct disorder, severe
depression, and suicidal tendencies !
 More than half (54%-60%) exposed develops
psychiatric symptoms immediately after the
disaster. (Austin and Godleski, 1999)

4. Terror or Horror experiences
-happens when one’s own life is threatened or
exposed to disturbing sights
Traumatic bereavement
- happens when beloved friends, family
members die due to disaster, thus resulting in
psychological disturbances.
Disruption of normal living
- most difficult to quantify due to variation of
one disaster to another.

6.  “Man-made disaster”
 Creates an environment of continual anxiety
and can be exacerbated into a full blown
panic attacks.
 Example: October 2001 Anthrax Scare
designed more PSYCHOLOGICAL ATTACK
rather than physical one.
--More effective WEAPON of TERROR rather than
WEAPON of MASS DESTRUCTION (Wesley, Hyams,
and Bartolomew, 2001).

7.  Causes common psychological factors:
› Horror, anger, or panic
› Magical thinking about virus and microbes
› Fear of invisible agents (fear of contagion)
› Anger at terrorists, government, or both
› Paranoia, social isolation
› Loss of faith in social institutions

8.  In response to Anthrax Scare Incident, American
Psychological Association (APA)
strongly recommends to limit exposure to MEDIA,
as it heightens one’s anxiety and suggests the
following interventions:
› Prevention of group panic
› Careful, rapid medical evaluation and treatment about the
infection and intoxication
› Effective communication
› Management of anger and fear
› Control of symptoms secondary to hyper arousal – such
as giving anxiolytics

10.  Resistance to interventions is the main
barrier in achieving mental health after the
disaster.
 GOALS of mental health interventions:
› To foster and stimulate natural mental healing
process, after the disaster, within the community
› To decrease resistance to treatment among
individuals whose emotional suffering exceeded
natural healing capacity of the group.

11.  EMOTIONAL
› Depression, sadness
› Anger, irritability
› Anxiety, fear
› Despair, loneliness
› Guilt, self-doubt
 BEHAVIORAL
› Sleep problems
› Crying easily
› Hypervigilance
› Isolation or social withdrawal
› Increased conflicts with
family
Common Reactions of Disaster Survivors
 COGNITIVE
› Confusion, disorientation
› Nightmares
› Preoccupation with disaster
› Trouble concentrating
› Difficulty in making decisions
 PHYSICAL
› Fatigue, exhaustion
› Gastrointestinal distress
› Appetite changes
› Worsening of chronic
conditions

13.  HEROIC PHASE – evident high
feeling of saving a life ! Strong
Adrenalin Rush to help people!
 HONEYMOON PHASE – Survivors
are grateful and community pulls
together to cope up with the
disaster.(feeling unified)

14.  DISILLUSIONMENT PHASE –
there’s an apparent depression and
hopelessness, as the reality of how
life has changed after the disaster.
 RECONSTRUCTION PHASE –
intense emotions are now replaced
by sense of acceptance, increasing
independence, and emotional
reinvestment in relationships and
activities of daily life

16.  INFANTS – will sense their parents’
anxiety and fear and will mirror the
parents’ reaction to the disaster.
 PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN – may
exhibit extreme helplessness,
passivity, and lack of responsiveness
to things in the environment.
 Has heightened level of generalized
fear, nightmares and terrors,
excessive crying, and irritability.

17.  SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN – more
mature cognitively and emotionally
but remain vulnerable to stress. May
present classical symptoms of
PTSD, depression and anxiety
disorders.
 ADOLESCENTS – respond to
disaster much same to adults. May
exhibit decline in academic
performance, rebellion at home or
school, and social withdrawal.