disaster psych- exam 1

Disasters

Defined by red cross- a sudden, calamitous event that seriously disrupts the
functioning of a community or society and causes human, material, economic or environmental losses that exceed the community’s or society’s ability to cope using its own resources. Though often caused by nature, disasters can have human origins.

Disaster psychology

• Study of psych impacts- emotional, cognitive, and behavioral, of a community or person effected by a natural or human-caused disaster

• Offered to people impacted by disaster as well as their families

• Provided by mental health professionals

• Goal is to help sustain and support individuals and communities as they experience and integrate extremely painful and disruptive events.

Hazards that are classified as disasters

• Hurricanes
• Tornadoes
• Wildfires
• Tsunamis
• Winter Storms
• Earthquakes
• Famine/Drought
• Floods
• Epidemics/Pandemics
• Public Transit Accidents
• Extraterrestrial Phenomenon (solar flares, asteroid impacts, etc.)
• Terror Attacks (incl. mass shootings, etc.)
• Infrastructure Collapse (bridge/building collapse, blackouts, water/sewage disruptions)

Disaster management cycle

A model developed for professional disaster responders, 4 main stages of acute disaster that communities are in, compounding and cascading
disasters layer this cycle on top of itself

Disasters vs. Routine Emergencies

Disasters exceed local response resources

Acute disasters

1. Tend to be time-limited (they occur, then they end)
2. Have a community-wide, collective impact
3. Involve significant disruption of biopsychosocial & cultural resources
4. Affect all those who are either directly impacted, their loved ones, the community at large and those who come to help
5. Usually include a spectrum of losses

Aspects of Size

• Scope = Number of people and structures affected
• Intensity = Level of damage in terms of injuries and deaths
• Nature of the injuries; how gruesome the scene may have been
• Proximity = How close to the epicenter of the disaster
• Duration =

• Length of actual impact period OR

• Length of time people are affected by disaster OR

• Time until people feel safe (most relevant for DMH)

natural disasters

- Generally less extreme psychological impactful (except in very large-scale or long-term events)
- Event is typically perceived as not preventable
- No one to blame (except possibly God/higher power)
- Misinformation; Blaming of authorities for inadequate warning/responsemon reactions

Human-caused disasters

- Event is often perceived as preventable
- Search for someone to blame – rationally or not!
- Desire for justice or retribution is often intense and may interfere with recovery
- Anger, anxiety, mistrust, and betrayal are common reactions

Expected events

- receiving a warning
- provides an opportunity to take protective physical action
- provides an opportunity to prepare psychologically
- creates a decision-making situation, where most factors in the decision point to NOT taking the recommended action
- If warning is received but not followed, guilt, self- blame and shame are common

Unexpected events

- Provide no opportunity to prepare, so more potential for physical and psychological harm
- Often result in sense of helplessness over future
- Should result in less guilt (though distorted cognitions are possible/common - “I should have known this would happen”)

Timing

• Time of day (light or dark, families together or apart)
• Day of week (response capacity, location of population)
• Season/climate (sheltering needs, barriers to responding)

Levels of Disaster Loss

External losses- (of loved ones, possessions, normal life activities)
Internal losses- (of typical emotional states)
Emotional reactions resulting from those losses

Socioeconomic factors

Communities of color, immigrants, or ppl living in poverty may face chronic stress including mistrust of healthcare system and of mental health, mistrust of and abuse by law enforcement, neighborhood violence, drug abuse, partner violence, and SA

Stress

The response of our body and brain to demands for change from the
environment

• Can be positive or negative

• Different types that impact us differently:
  • Acute
  • Chronic/cumulative/operational
  • Traumatic

Acute Stress

Body’s response to a situation deemed dangerous,

A productive response- body activates fight/flight/freeze as it prepares to defend itself

Chronic (Operational) Stress

Piled up, unresolved general stress

Potentially destructive when not managed

Can cause negative effects in: Mental and physical health, Performance, and Relationships

Traumatic Stress

Reaction to shocking and emotionally overwhelming situations, often
involving actual or threatened death, or serious injury (either experiencing or witnessing).

Has the power to overwhelm est. coping abilities

The emotional brain

The smoke alarm of the brain

Monitors danger and is the warning signal of the brain

Makes quick decisions but makes mistakes

The rational brain

The watch tower of the brain

Responsible for the interpretation of all our experiences

Regulates executive functions:

• Planning and decision making

• Sequencing and predicting consequences of our actions

• Keeps us from acting on all our impulses

Slower than the emotional brain, but is more accurate

Managing stress

In daily life: relies on a balance between the emotional and rational parts of the brain.

In times of extreme stress: The smoke alarm is constantly suggesting danger – it gets stuck in the ‘on’ position, which overwhelms the brain and causes it to be out of balance.
All the brain’s attention gets focused on trying to shut off the smoke alarm, at the expense of other brain functions.

Window of Tolerance Model

Hyperarousal- Sense of Threat

• Anxiety, anger, fight/flight

Window of Tolerance- Sense of Safety

• Grounded, flexible, present

Hypoarousal- Sense of Collapse

• Shut down, numb, freeze

Traumatic stress can shrink your window of tolerance, but you can also expand it by building resilience

Traumatic Experiences & Memory

• Emotions, sounds, images, thoughts and physical sensations related to trauma take on a life of their own.

• These traumatic experiences are stored and can intrude into the present where they are relived.

Indirect Trauma Exposure

Caused by interacting with others who are directly exposed to stress and
trauma, mirror neurons make this happen

A risk for ppl working in disaster mental health, Results in:

• Burnout

• Compassion fatigue

• Vicarious trauma / secondary traumatic stress

Ripple Effects of Stress and Trauma

Acute or chronic exposure to stress, causes emotional pain as well as physical health problems for all involved:

• Direct survivors

• Their friends and families

• Community members

• Responders

Closer to the impact, often more impacted

4 characteristics of disasters

• Size (scope, intensity, proximity and duration)

• Cause (natural vs. human-caused)

• If it was expected or unexpected

• Timing (time of day, day of week, season)

Natural Disasters

• Harmful natural events that cause loss of life, destruction of property or the environment, and widespread destruction to communities.

  • May be caused by geological or weather events

• Impacts can vary depending on strength and other factors, but can be incredibly destructive

Impacts of natural disasters

• Can impact thousands of people or more

• Mental health impacts tend to be less severe and less prevalent
  than with human-caused events

• Some experience anxiety and helplessness at the thought of these events happening again

  Seen as unpreventable and not anyone’s “fault”, but those impacted can still place blame

  • On themselves

  • On authorities

  • On a higher power

  • On those perpetrating additional harm

• Can affect ones faith by strengthening it or weakening it

• Secondary effects of natural disasters can worsen or complicate mental health impact

• Climate change is making them more frequent and stronger; new areas will be impacted by disasters they are not used to

Earthquakes

• Geological Events

• Localized, regional impacts

• Occurs very quickly ~30-90 seconds

• Can have some warning but often not far in advance

• Major impacts: Human impact from building collapse, falling debris, and secondary issues

• Aftershocks can complicate response, doesn’t occur regularly

Volcanoes

• Geological Events

• Localized impacts

• Can last 1 week+

• Most are predictable with timing but not always exact

• Major impacts: Pyroclastic flow, hot gasses and ash is the main danger

Tsunamis

• Geological Events

• Very widespread impacts- even across countries & continents

• Occurs over ~30 minutes

• Very difficult to predict, often no warning- happen minutes to hours after underwater earthquake

• Some of the most destructive natural disasters that exist

• Secondary impacts are common

• Major impacts: force of flood water, depth & churning water, and debris

Flooding

• Weather event

• Local or regional impacts

• Typically occurs over 1-3 days but duration depends on the cause

• Often not predictable, but can sometimes be expected after other related disasters

• Major impacts: depth of water, and moving water; Secondary effects: mold, disease, contamination

Mudslides/Avalanches

• Weather event

• Local or regional impacts

• Occur very quickly, often less than one min

• Is usually monitored in populated areas

• Major impacts: strength and weight of the debris, getting buried

• Difficult to predict, seasonal risks (winter, rainy season)

Wildfires

• Weather event

• Local or regional impacts

• Occurs over time, usually several days - a week

• Direction and size can change very quickly

• occur where there is insufficient rainfall

• Major impacts: can move extremely quickly and burn very hot, can destroy even very well built structures

Winter Storms

• Weather event

• Local or regional impacts

• Occurs over several hours or days

• Impact often depends on location and level of preparedness; occur less frequent in warm climates & often more impactful

• Seasonal but not always easy to predict

• Major impacts: cold temps, dangerous road conditions, heat & electric issues

Heat waves

• Weather event

• Regional impacts or greater

• Occurs over several days to weeks

• Impact often depends on location and level of preparedness

• Occur mostly in warmer climates; less frequent in cold climates & often more impactful

• Major impacts: overheating; if a/c & electric remain risks are greatly diminished

• Seasonal but not always easy to predict