How does earthquakes affect mental health?

How does earthquakes affect mental health?

Results: Evidence points to elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and earthquake-related fears in children and adolescents. Traumatic stress appears to be mediated by loss of control over fear induced by exposure to unpredictable and uncontrollable earthquakes.

Do earthquakes cause depression?

In this community-based study, we observed that, even after 37 years, earthquake survivors had a higher risk of depression than those who had not experienced the earthquake. In addition, long-term effects of the earthquake on depression were found among bereaved survivors, women and individuals over 18 years old.

Does New Zealand suffer from earthquakes?

New Zealand experiences large numbers of small earthquakes, in a well-defined belt stretching from Fiordland to East Cape and the Bay of Plenty. This pattern is part of the ‘Ring of Fire’, the almost continuous belt of volcanoes and earthquakes rimming the Pacific Ocean.

Why does New Zealand suffer from earthquakes?

Earthquakes in New Zealand occur because we are located on the boundary of two of the world’s major tectonic plates – the Pacific Plate and the Australian Plate. These plates are colliding with huge force, causing one to slowly grind over, under or alongside the other.

Can an earthquake trigger anxiety?

Anxiety is normal, especially after an earthquake. About 18% of people in the US deal with an anxiety disorder at any given time and one in 13 people around the world live with an anxiety disorder.

Can earthquakes cause anxiety?

After a natural disaster like an earthquake about 15% of the population experience a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, even those without a diagnosis of PTSD can suffer from disorders of the affective sphere, including anxiety, depression and alteration of emotion recognition.

Can I get PTSD from an earthquake?

The primary finding of current study reveals that 10 months after a devastating earthquake, PTSD is prevalent among 24.10% of the earthquake affected adult survivors.

Is earthquake a traumatic event?

Earthquakes resulted in not only physical injuries but also psychological traumas. Individuals exposed to extreme earthquake trauma did not show improvement of their severe PTSD symptoms during three-year interval after their respective traumatic experiences (Goenjian et al., 2000).

Is NZ in the Ring of Fire?

New Zealand is located on the edge of a zone of intense seismic activity known as the Ring of Fire. This borders the Pacific Plate and includes many of the world’s greatest seismic and volcanic hot spots, including Indonesia, Japan, California, Peru and Chile.

Can you have PTSD from an earthquake?

Results: It was found that PTSD is the most commonly occurring mental health condition among earthquake survivors. Major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social phobia, and specific phobias were also listed. Conclusion: The PTSD prevalence rate varied widely.

How do people emotionally feel about earthquakes?

After a natural disaster, like an earthquake, population has an increased vulnerability to developing psychological and psychiatric disorders. The most frequently reported is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is a mental health problem triggered by life-threatening events (Neria et al., 2008).

Can earthquakes cause PTSD or stress disorder?

How do you deal with earthquake trauma?

Take a break, and keep things in perspective. If you were unscathed by the event, you might blame yourself or feel guilty. Such a reaction is normal, and it is important for you to remember the relief that you are safe, while also feeling empathetic towards others who need your help.

Can you get PTSD from earthquakes?

What does a person feel during the earthquake?

The shaking will feel violent and it will be difficult to stand up. The contents of your house will be a mess. A large earthquake far away will feel like a gentle bump followed several seconds later by stronger rolling shaking that may feel like sharp shaking for a little while.

What are the social effects of earthquakes?

Effects of an earthquake