Support for victims of disasters is psychological help addressed to people who have suffered as a result of a natural disaster. Its nature and duration are adapted to the patient’s problems. The overriding goal is to reduce the negative impact of the event on human well-being and functioning.
Why is support for victims of cataclysms important?
A cataclysm is a traumatic event that changes one’s life and deprives one of a sense of security. It is often associated with the loss of all achievements, health or loved ones. People who have experienced a cataclysm may have:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – means feeling a strong fear at the thought of trauma and intrusive memories of it. It often leads to sleep problems and the strenuous avoidance of places and situations that are associated with a traumatic event.
- Depression – a significant deterioration in mood, loss of interest and lack of interest in social contacts.
- Suicidal thoughts – are often the result of depression, but they can also occur independently of it.
- Feeling of powerlessness – lack of faith in the possibility of rebuilding one’s previous life.
- Dissociative disorders – for example, derealization or depersonalization. These disorders are a defense mechanism in which there is a sense of separation from reality.
Goals of psychological support for victims of cataclysms
Psychological assistance to victims of cataclysms allows:
- work through the trauma,
- regain a sense of control over life,
- prevent depression,
- learn to deal with difficult emotions,
- work through grief if the cataclysm led to the death of a loved one