The proximity of the individual to the community trauma affects the expression of PTSD, regardless of the amount of exposure. The prevalence of PTSD varies widely across different groups of rescue workers, ranging from 0% to 46%,49,50 even when different types of rescue workers are deployed to the same disaster.14 The prevalence of PTSD among non-professional rescuers seems to be higher than that of professional rescue workers.6,14 There is a lack of knowledge in the literature on the PTSD symptoms of local rescuers. First responders are an unrecognized group of “hidden” victims who are involved in community trauma. Several methodological differences between investigations, samples, and scales that have been used to assess PTSD make it difficult to compare the prevalence of PTSD symptoms across studies.
Second, this study utilized self-report measures that may not be accurate as a full clinical evaluation of PTSD or depression symptomology. This finding highlights that individuals experiencing greater amounts of disaster-related adversity required greater levels of resilience to help mitigate the negative effects of disaster exposure. The final sample included 625 participants who experienced a disaster between 2016 and 2019. For example, in prior research, resilience has been found to mediate the relationship between interpersonal risk factors and hopelessness, and contribute to lower levels of hopelessness in a sample of individuals with clinical depression (19). Within a disaster context, (15) described a risk and resilience framework, wherein resources or protective factors counterbalance the threats of disaster exposure.
Health Conditions
- Recovering from the emotional toll of a natural disaster will take time and a bit of intention.
- NICE guidance from 2005 and 2011 recommends the use of trauma focused psychological treatments for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in adults, specifically the use of Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
- If they are adding to your distress, try shifting your perspective.
Finally, family members may serve as distressing reminders to each https://disasterphilanthropy.org/disasters/2025-us-tornadoes-and-severe-storms/ other of the circumstances surrounding the event. Specific to the aftermath of mass shootings, unique social factors have also been reported to increase risk for anxiety, distress, and poor functioning. Post-event stress and adversity along with weak or deteriorating psychosocial resources have consistently been shown to be significant risk factors for long-term adjustment problems and psychopathology (e.g., 2,10,28-32). Where significant displacement occurs, separation from home and family has been noted as a risk factor for anxiety and depression in some individuals (2,18-23). Humans are resilient; most people adjust over time after a disaster.
Strategies for Dealing in the Preparation Phase
People may experience trauma even if they weren’t directly harmed physically. Brandy also teaches at a university, sharing her expertise with future mental health professionals. As an independent consultant for mental health organizations, Liz creates meaningful connections between brands and their audiences through strategic storytelling. Is a mental health professional turned content writer and strategist based in the Detroit metro area.
How to Assess Mental Health Impact After an Event
Fortunately, most children, even those exposed to trauma, are quite resilient. Staying informed and sharing resources with others can help ensure that the road to recovery isn’t traveled alone. One year after Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas in 2017, more than 90% of Gulf Coast residents reported ongoing stress related to housing instability, financial hardship or displacement. The perception of the event and the meaning assigned to it may also affect long-term psychosocial adjustment. Additionally, concerns for the future and what it might hold can result in fear, resentment, and depression.
Disturbing events activate the amygdala, a structure in the brain responsible for detecting threats. Based on a survey of nearly 69,000 adults in 24 countries, the World Mental Health Survey Consortium found that 70 percent of adults have had at least one experience of trauma in their life. Research has shown that the more ACEs a person experiences, the greater their risk for future mental and physical health problems. Over time, such individuals are at risk for compassion fatigue, whereby they avoid investing emotionally in other people in an attempt to protect themselves from experiencing distress. Secondary, or vicarious, trauma arises from exposure to other people’s suffering and can strike those in professions that are called on to respond to injury and mayhem, notably physicians, first responders, and law enforcement.