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Post by Admin on Sept 29, 2017 11:21:50 GMT -4
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Saravanan Kannapiran
Guest
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Post by Saravanan Kannapiran on Oct 1, 2017 1:55:18 GMT -4
The dailymail.com article on hurricane PTSD brings up a point that not many news outlets talk about in the aftermath of a natural disaster such as a hurricane, in that even though people need to rebuild their homes, they also need to make sure they are mentally sound. PTSD is a common occurrence for survivors of hurricanes and it can lead to increased substance use among prior users and increased domestic violence. Government agencies such as FEMA need to make sure people are getting proper mental health support.
The cnn.com article on hurricane psychology touched on similar themes. One interesting fact mentioned here was that displacement from one’s home after a hurricane often led to developing PTSD. Also, the article mentioned the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth seen sometimes after a hurricane. This is when people actually feel less distressed and with improved mental health 1-3 years after a hurricane. This is thought to occur because people who had suffered mental distress prior to the hurricane, but never sought mental health treatment, after receiving mental health treatment post-hurricane can learn to cope with prior emotional trauma in addition to the trauma of the hurricane. I thought that this really underscored the need for adequate mental health treatment facilities be available for all after a hurricane strikes.
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Post by Soren Estvold on Oct 1, 2017 13:51:02 GMT -4
The idea of hurricane psychology is interesting. Immediately what comes to mind is the patient differential diagnosis. A patient who enters your clinic, whether displaced or not could have the following differential diagnosis:
1) Acute Stress Disorder. This patient will present three days to one month after said hurricane has struck. This patient will be dealing with the immediate destructive and psychological trauma of the hurricane.
2) PTSD. This patient could be a continuation of the Acute Stress Disorder patient or could be a patient that is still struggling from the aftermath of the hurricane greater then a month after the hurricane has struck.
3) Adjustment Disorder. This patient could present less acutely then the PSTD or ASD patient, but is still being psychologically disturbed by the events of the hurricane.
While all of these are important diagnosis to consider; any of these can present after any natural disaster, large or small.
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Post by awalker9 on Oct 3, 2017 16:01:05 GMT -4
The CNN article did a good job of mapping out the multitude of exposures that can result in ptsd/asd as well as outline which of these exposures are particularly likely to result in adverse impacts on peoples lives. As we already know, an individual does not even have to be directly exposed to a stressor to be impacted by it, however the likelihood of developing ptsd in far less than those who experienced the stressor first hand. The degree of damage to one's property, risk of harm to themselves or a loved one, as well as whether or not they fled their homes during the hurricane were all mentioned as variables that may impact the likelihood of developing a stress disorder. Obviously, a person with a near death experience would be more at risk than someone who felt safe throughout the ordeal. The article even went as far as saying that the stressors associated with leaving their homes (not the actual hurricane itself) could result in a stress disorder; heavy traffic, difficulty finding a temporary residence and other variables were mentioned in support of this theory.
To me, it becomes important to differentiate between a stress disorder resulting from a traumatic event and an ongoing financial/social issue that has persisted throughout. For instance, a person who is anxious, temporarily depressed or having family difficulties after a significant financial burden such as loosing ones home should not be considered mentally ill, as much as just recovering from the preceding events. On the other hand, those that have intrusive thoughts, heavy anxiety and emotional despair years down the road should be given appropriate psychiatric treatment as a hurricane is a significant stressor that could most definitely result in long term mental disorders.
Alex Walker
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Post by bwright on Oct 3, 2017 18:40:19 GMT -4
The article by CNN discussing the mental health aftermath of hurricanes past and present details the less publicized impact on the survivors. The article pulls from various sources and hurricanes. Across the board, of those interviewed by CNN, people who are more likely to suffer from PTSD, depressive or anxiety symptoms, or stress are those who stayed and witnessed the devastation and thusly were predisposed to a greater amount of exposure (FSU prof Cougle). Another interesting finding came from Katrina, where Lowe at MSU found that in some individuals mental growth improved in those with previous stress conditions. Lowe attributes the improvement to the discovery of untreated stress conditions as a result of office visits for hurricane stress. As for implications of future utilization of Lowe’s finding, she should increase sample size to expand the study’s power. Then a broader approach could be taken to treat those naive of treatment. Uncovering of untreated individuals across America and the world could result, and herein the focus of interviews in post-hurricane victims could and would emphasize the psychiatric interview.
Dailymail.com’s article highlights University of Missouri’s Disaster and Community Crisis Center’s approach to the aftershock of natural disasters, It explains the importance of a “community system”. Typically, a response team emerges when natural disasters occur, FEMA and Red Cross. However not included and often forgotten are response teams: the public and mental health groups, schools, local government, social services, local businesses/workforce development, and faith-based org. This article features the need for these groups to be a part of the emergency response, so as to reduce the psychological, emotional, physical stressors individuals endure following traumatic and often life-altering events.
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Post by Kathryne Holmes on Oct 3, 2017 20:42:32 GMT -4
Both of these articles discuss the importance of support for victims of natural disasters. Most understand the importance of financial support, housing and shelter, as well as medical support for these victims, however, most do not realize the importance of continuous support for an individual's mental health.
These articles describe this importance in detail by using research results they've compiled from the responses of victims of natural disasters throughout the years. What they both identify, is the crippling impact these natural disasters have on an individuals mental health for years after the hurricane has come and gone. They enumerate the way in which the initial acute stressors experienced develop into life long disabilities. They mention how important it is to maintain open dialogue between survivors as well as the importance of continued mental health therapy months to years after the initial incident so as to decrease the possible development of PTSD in these individuals. One statistic mentioned in the CNN article, states that a few months after hurricane Katrina, the prevalence for PTSD was 15%. This increased to 21% one year after the hurricane had passed. This demonstrates even further the need for continued mental health care amongst the victims. Many need to be aware that, although the physical damage has long been repaired, the mind can still be in a state of turmoil.
Another fact mentioned in these articles, were the populations most likely to have experienced PTSD or mental health changes after a natural disaster. These included individuals who have had prior substance abuse, children, women and people from lower socio economic backgrounds. The dailymail article mentioned that there was 1/3 increase in use of cigarettes, alcohol and/or marijuana following hurricane Katrina. There was also a dramatic increased frequency of domestic violence reported amongst women after a natural disaster. These findings elaborate the necessity for continuous support for individuals who already suffer from addictive behaviours as well as individuals who fall into the specified groups. The need for AA type meetings or 12 step programs, women shelters and community based support groups should be readily available for these individuals so that they may be able to maintain balance in their life, as well as a safe environment to be able to talk about their experiences, their concerns and the struggles they may be having.
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Post by Jonathan Phang on Oct 4, 2017 10:16:47 GMT -4
The dailymail.com article states that PTSD is common following natural disasters, stating that it “can occur after frightening events that threaten one’s own life and the lives for family and friends.” However beyond this statement, it doesn’t really delve into the description of PTSD any further. Seeing how this article is most likely targeted towards the layperson, it would probably have been beneficial to state a few of the criteria for PTSD, such as hypervigilance, avoidance of stimulus, anhedonia, etc. I think one of the positive points of the article though is the linking between PTSD and the increase in substance use and domestic violence. This is something that may not immediately be obvious, but is an important connection to recognize. I also appreciated the stressing of the importance of reaching out for help in various ways (e.g. community events, mental health interventions, etc.) in the road to recovery.
The CNN article provides a nice study on the progression of mental health disorders, particularly PTSD, following hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. I think the observation that the worse the stressor (i.e. “those who stayed and witnessed the destruction”) equates to worse mental health is an important one to make. I also thought the concept of “post-traumatic growth” was interesting. It’s not immediately intuitive, and I think further studies into this theory could be warranted and help us gain further insight into PTSD, as well as into traits such as resiliency and grit. And like with the dailymail.com article, I appreciated the fact that this article highlighted the importance of seeking out for help, whether that be through helplines, or through self-care such as sleep and exercise.
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Post by Kristen Richard on Oct 4, 2017 20:10:43 GMT -4
The importance of mental health during and after times of natural disasters is often neglected until signs of an acute stress disorder or PTSD are evident. The CNN article talks about how regardless of if they were able to evacuate or not, people experience trauma from either a life threatening experience of being stuck in the disaster or from returning back to a completely destroyed home if not some of both. It was also interesting that the CNN article spoke about post traumatic growth perhpas due to victims being able to finally seek out help for pre-existing traumas or from being able to have a "fresh start". In light of today's lecture, I wonder if those who were not directly in harm's way, but still evacuated and had symptoms consistent with PTSD over a long period of time would be classified as having an adjustment disorder?
Both articles touched on the fact that violence and substance abuse increase after natural disasters (specifically Katrina), most likely in those who engaged in those behaviors prior to the event and that Crisis hotlines are available for people to develop a healthier coping mechanism. However, I wish that there was a more available resource for people to speak with in person after events such as this, just as there are volunteers, medical staff, and construction workers helping to rebuild what once was for these people. I feel that many times people respond to empathy more so in person and could be better read as to how severely they have been impacted.
It was important to note that many people recover successfully in regards to mental health after natural disasters. The importance of taking care of one's self via diet, exercise, and sleep cannot be stressed enough. Those are things that can be done regardless of a person's circumstance to help cope with the aftermath of a devastating event mentally and physically. Natural disasters can cause both mental and physical distress and both need to be addressed in efforts to relieve the people who suffered in these traumatic events.
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Post by Lois Olumuyiwa on Oct 5, 2017 16:04:29 GMT -4
The CNN article was interesting to read especially since it focused not only on the negative mental aftermath of natural disasters but the silver lining some experience, post traumatic growth. I personally know people who were survivors of the most recent hurricane maria which affected Dominica and Puerto rico, to mention a few, and feel very strong about life as a whole after coming out of the hurricane unharmed. Many stuck together and tightened their relationships with each other, a lot deepened their relationships with God and much more are happy about the change of environment after being evacuated. While all these might be good of course there are those who lost very important documents, passports included and are more or less stranded on the island and one can only imagine the stress they're dealing with especially with uncertainty of what the future holds. There are always two sides to every coin, as they say. One can't over emphasize the importance of mental health evaluation after such events however and provide these victims with adequate support and help.
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Post by nwarnick on Oct 5, 2017 20:22:58 GMT -4
Both of these articles stress the effects of major natural disasters on mental health, especially in the months and years after the disaster. Although the initial focus is, and should be, on immediate recovery and physical safety/health, and emphasis should also be placed on mental health. Organizations like the Red Cross and FEMA, and community fundraisers bring much needed support such as food, water, clothing and resources to re-build. But, after they leave and the media moves on to the next story, many of these resources dry up and the victims are left to fend for themselves. The dailymail.com article specifically talks about the increase in domestic violence and substance abuse among Hurricane Katrina survivors. Now that we know this is a potential serious issue, additional resources should be put in place to assist with these problems, and community education and public health measures should be taken to target these issues. The CNN article discuses both the positive and negative effects on mental health. It refers to "post-traumatic growth" as the victim benefiting in some way from the disaster. This is fantastic for those who are able to benefit or take advantage of a new situation. However, this should not be assumed to be the norm and access to mental health evaluation and care should be available to those who need it both in the location of the disaster (i.e. community centers, shelters, etc) and in locations with a high number of evacuees. The articles discussed that those who evacuate have a lower incidence of mental health issues than those who weathered the storm. However, the dailymail.com article referenced some disturbing statistics from areas with high numbers of evacuees. Mental health resources should be part of the disaster preparedness plan as much as having medical and rebuilding supplies are.
There are many factors that play into the development of a mental health disorder. Genetics is one that is pre-determined. How environment can be altered. Having immediately available and continuing counseling, therapy and other services could significantly reduce the impact of the storm on the development of a mental health disorder or decrease the severity of the developed disorder. In my opinion, it is better to do what is necessary to prevent and reduce severity than it is to try to reign in a problem after it develops.
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Post by Eleazar Briones on Oct 24, 2017 20:42:14 GMT -4
With the hurricanes and tropical storms we’ve had this season, it’s a great opportunity to discuss PTSD as a medical disorder that is associated with natural disasters. People that may be suffering from PTSD should be sought out by the medical community and educated on the treatment options available to them. One important issue is that many are not aware that they may be struggling with a mental health disorder. I agree completely that mental health resources should be made a clear part of the preparedness framework and that awareness is important in reaching victims of a natural disaster. Meeting patients halfway requires us as providers to recognize populations that are most susceptible to mental health disorders when stressors of disaster occur.
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Post by Shirin Ganjali on Oct 25, 2017 13:31:12 GMT -4
This was a very interesting and well written article. A lot of people do not think about psychological disorders after they go thorough natural disasters. I was surprised to read about the percentage of suicide after people going through such event. It's very sad to think that you can lose everything you have in a matter of a day. Post traumatic stress disorder can be very debilitating. I'm glad this article is talking about PTSD and some ways to help with it. For some people think admitting to have psychological problems is embarrassing and some people may not be even be awar that they are suffering from psychological illness. Articles like this not only make people awar of such illnesses but also encourage them to open up about their problems and seek treatment.
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Post by NToor on Oct 26, 2017 11:40:32 GMT -4
Both articles discuss how natural disasters have "huge impact" on the mental health of the survivors. I think these articles are a great way to make people aware that such life threatening events can leads to symptoms of anxiety, difficulty sleeping and sadness, which possibly can lead to PTSD. And that "it's okay to seek help" during this time as these symptoms can affect the person's ability to function well and recovery. CNN article also talked about the affects these events have on the lives of the children and their future, women, low income families, and the racial and ethnic minorities. One very important point brought up in this article is that disasters also the affect the first responders. The direct exposure to danger and seeing other people harmed can lead them to having symptoms of anxiety and depression. As mentioned in Daily mail article, "multi-agency disaster response and recovery network" is the best way to help and support these individuals cope and recover from the disaster.
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Post by medstudent89 on Oct 26, 2017 20:01:05 GMT -4
Brittany Assanah (UMHS)
All of the right risk factors are present in the aftermath of a natural disaster for Post-traumatic stress disorder to occur. These survivors have witness circumstances beyond their norm, these circumstances were not only traumatic in many cases but also intensified by the financial stress of rebuilding. Add this stress to an individual who was already struggling with financial issues or mental health concerns and this has the makings of a storm all on its own. I’m not shocked many will find refuge where they can. Whether they find temporary relief from substance abuse or other poor choices the route of escapism is not a new one when life is just too overwhelming. Increased stress also tends to intensify preexisting issues, as seen in the study done in women in Mississippi experiencing domestic violence and the increase of this after Hurricane Katrina. Although organizations such as the red cross may touch upon the psychological trauma that occurs post- disaster it cannot be their main focus as they at times struggle to simply save victims who are trapped and starving. Having infrastructure present to be “second responders” would excellent. Individuals who are skilled in recognizing and treating acute stress disorder and would be available if these victims transition into PTSD could save lives in the long run.
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Post by robin chowdhury on Oct 28, 2017 14:19:11 GMT -4
Often PTSD is seen as a disorder that arises from major stressors such as witnessing traumatizing events, for example being in the army, or being attacked by somebody. I think this article shows that even a natural disaster such as these hurricanes that have been happening lately can impact ones mental health, because these are traumatic events. I agree that there should be more programs working together to aid those who are affected by these events. I think the fact that these disasters are affecting large populations, it is often easy to dismiss the fact that it can be heavy on the mental health of each and every individual (since PTSD is often seen as happening to INDIVIDUAL people based on experiences that they’ve had in the past). It is surprising to hear that these kind of events can trigger some people to turn to abusive behaviour and begin a trend of domestic violence due to a “loss of control”.
The idea of “Post Traumatic Growth” is a very interesting one. “So maybe before the storm, they had experienced many stressful and traumatic life events -- such as childhood abuse, sexual abuse, intimate partner violence -- and the hurricane was the first time where they came in contact with mental health services where they could deal with pre-existing vulnerabilities”. The fact that a disaster that causes people to lose so much like their homes and valuables, somehow become a gateway for people with prior stressors in their life to come into contact with mental health services shows how important it is to have these programs where people who are affected by these disasters can seek help.
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