DISASTER

EFFECTS
and its
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What are the human
effect of Natural and
Man-Made Disasters?
Displaced Populations
When countries are ravaged by earthquakes
or other powerful forces of nature, many
people need to abandon their homes and
seek shelter in other regions. A large influx
of refugees can disrupt accessibility of health
care and education, as well as food supplies
and clean water.
Health Risks
Severe flooding can result in stagnant
water that allows breeding of waterborne
bacteria and malaria carrying mosquitoes.
Without emergency relief from
international aid organizations and others,
death tolls can rise even after the
immediate danger has passed.
Food Scarcity
Thousands of people around the world are hungry
because of destroyed crops and loss of agricultural
supplies, whether it happens suddenly in a storm or
gradually in a drought. As a result, food prices rise
reducing families’ purchasing power and increasing the
risk of severe malnutrition or worse. The impacts of
hunger following an earthquake, typhoon or hurricane
can be tremendous, causing lifelong damage to
children’s development.
Emotional Aftershocks
Natural disasters can be particularly traumatic for
young children. Confronted with scenes of
destruction and the deaths of friends and loved ones,
many children develop post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), a serious psychological condition resulting
from extreme trauma. Left untreated, children
suffering from PTSD can be prone to lasting
psychological damage and emotional distress.
What is Post- Traumatic
Stress Disorder?
PTSD are defined as individual who have
been exposed to a traumatic event in
which one person experienced or
witnessed or was confronted with actual
or threatened death or serious injury or
the threat to the physical integrity of self
or other.
Traumatic events that can lead to PTSD

War Natural disasters Terrorist attack

Car/plane crash
Childhood neglect
Traumatic events that can lead to PTSD

kidnapping Rape/ sexual abuse assault

Physical abuse Sudden death of a loved one

 1. Previous traumatic experience in early life
2. Family history
3. History of physical/ sexual abuse
4. History of substance abuse
5. History of depression, anxiety, mental illness
6. High level of stress in everyday life
7. Lack of support after the trauma
8. Lack of coping skills

Factors for PTSD

What are the signs and
symptoms of PTSD?
Re-experiencing the traumatic event
Intrusive, upsetting memories of the event
Flashbacks
Nightmares
Feeling of intense distress when reminded of
trauma
Intense physical reaction (pounding of heart,
rapid breathing, nausea, muscle tension,
sweating
Avoidance and numbing
Avoiding activities, places thoughts or feelings
that remind the trauma
Inability to remember important aspects of the
trauma
Loss of interest in activities and life in general
Feeling detached from others and emotionally
numb
Sense of limited future.
Increased anxiety and emotional arousal

Difficulty falling or staying asleep

Irritability or outburst of anger
Difficulty concentrating
Hypervigilance (on constant “red
alert”
Other common symptoms
Anger and irritability
Guilt, shame or self blame
Substance abuse
Feelings of mistrust
Depression and hopelessness
Suicidal thoughts and feelings
Feeling alienated and alone
Physical aches and pains
Symptoms of PTSD in children and adolescents
Fear of being separated from parent
Losing previously-acquired skills( toilet trainings)
Sleep problems
Compulsive play in which themes/ aspects of the
trauma are repeated
New phobias and anxieties that seem unrelated to the
trauma
Acting out the trauma
Aches and pains with no apparent cause
Irritability and aggression
How to treat PTSD?
 1. Antidepressant
SSRIs- Sertraline, Fluoxetine
TCAs- Imipremine
2. Antianxiety drug
Lorazepam

Pharmacological treatment
 1. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral
therapy
- It involves gradually exposing your
thoughts, feelings and situations that
remind you of the trauma
- Teaching the patient specific techniques
within a limited number of sessions.

Psychosocial treatment
 2. Exposure therapy
- It involves gradually facing the thoughts
and memories of the traumatic event
that make one anxious.
- Exposure should be gradual and done
with the help of an experienced
clinician.

Psychosocial treatment
 3. Cognitive restructuring therapy
- It involves identifying irrational (but
understandable) patterns of thought,
feeling and behavior that emerge after a
traumatic event
- It aims at replacing dysfunctional thoughts
with more realistic and helpful ones.
- E.g. “I feel scared…but I am safe”

Psychosocial treatment
 4. Family therapy
- It can help your loved ones understand
what you’re going through
- It can also help everyone in the family
communicate better and work through
relationship problems caused by PTSD
symptoms.

Psychosocial treatment
5. Group Psychotherapy
- Telling one’s story (the “trauma
narrative”) and directly facing the grief,
anxiety and guilt related to trauma
enables many survivors to go on with
their lives rather that getting stuck in
unspoken despair and helplessness.

Psychosocial treatment
 Positive ways of
coping with PTSD
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Self-Help Treatment (PTSD)
Avoid alcohol and drugs

Reach out for support

Challenge your self of

helplessness
 Great damage caused by a disaster
can be reduced if everyone will take
responsibility in anticipating its
effects.
Some ways on how to plan ahead of a disaster
1. Check for hazards at home.
2. Identify safe place indoors and outdoors
3. Educate yourself and family members
4. Have Disaster kits/supplies on hand.
5. Develop an emergency communication
plan.
6. Help your community get ready.
7. Practice the Disaster Preparedness Cycle
 ROLE PLAY
Click icon to add picture Choose one of the events that causes PTSD.
Present the signs and symptoms of the
traumatic event. Give the appropriate
treatment for the situation. Rubrics will be
given.
 What stops me from taking time
to myself to relax?
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 MINI TRAUMA
Click icon to add picture BRING a picture that represents objects or
situations on the following:
1. Fear/phobia
2. Secret that you have that is embarrassing
3. Favorite activity
4. Favorite place
End