Review Article

The Psychological Effects of The Earthquake and Expert Opinions of The Steps to Eliminate These Effects: Analytical Research

Hayrettin Gumusdag¹* and Mert Erkan²

¹Yozgat Bozok University, Sports Sciences, Turkey

²Eskisehir Technical University, Sports Sciences, Turkey

Submission: March 13, 2023; Published: March 21, 2023

*Corresponding author: Hayrettin Gumusdag, Yozgat Bozok University, Sports Sciences, Yozgat, Turkey

How to cite this article: Hayrettin Gumusdag and Mert Erkan. The Psychological Effects of The Earthquake and Expert Opinions of The Steps to Eliminate These Effects: Analytical Research. Psychol Behav Sci Int J. 2023; 20(2): 556038. DOI: 10.19080/PBSIJ.2023.20.556038.

Abstract

The great and destructive earthquake in Kahramanmaraş has caused the death of more than 38 thousand of our people and injured more than 100 thousand people. In addition to the bodily pain and destruction, the fact that the earthquake had dimensions that caused spiritual effects increased the existing pain. In addition to the lifeless bodies left in the wreckage, our spiritual and mental worlds were buried under this wreckage. Some of us have faced this spiritual wreck, some of us indirectly, some of us from the shore and some of us feeling it from the belly. It is also of vital importance to take steps to remove, heal and minimize the effects of this spiritual debris that is lived and felt. Because the earthquake for many years; Our people will feel and experience the mourning, grief, pain, stress, trauma, fear, anxiety, depression and perhaps anxiety in some way. The earthquake victims who managed to save their lives after the earthquake are left alone with various health problems as well as major traumas. Post-earthquake aid and rescue efforts are largely aimed at saving life, rehabilitation of living things, and repairing building and infrastructure services. However, an earthquake is a natural disaster that can cause physical destruction and death, as well as create serious psychological problems for survivors. So, what are the psychological effects and risks created by the earthquake? Stress caused by such dire events can alter hormone levels (cortisol and catecholamines, female estrogen too), sleep, and in the long run hypertension, tachycardia, and sometimes myocardial infarction, but it is also necessary to differentiate the perception of stress in adults and children. In order to diagnose the psychological effects of the earthquake, to understand the approaches towards eliminating these effects and what the solution steps are, we have prepared an investigation file that will take the opinions of the experts and the psychological problems that are experienced or likely to be experienced in the future.

Keywords: Earthquake; Psychology; Eliminate; Solution; Human

Introduction

It is known that one of the biggest disasters is earthquake. Every year, many earthquakes occur in our country and around the world with more or less intensity. It is a fact that there will be many earthquakes now and, in the future, as there have been many devastating earthquakes in our country and around the world in the past. People are affected not only physically and economically but also psychologically as a result of these events [1]. Ground-based natural disasters are natural events that can be seen almost everywhere in the world and can reach the level of disaster. At the moment of the disaster, the person goes into psychological shock and freezes. The shock effect spreads to the whole body of the person. This shock effect is the body’s psychological defense mechanism. In some individuals, the opposite of this behavior is observed. The person is in a state of panic and is constantly moving. Events such as natural disasters, deaths, accidents, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. are called traumatic situations [2].

There are 3 stages in human psychology after an earthquake: Shock, Passivation and Recovery. People affected by the earthquake are in a passive state. At this stage, people feel powerless and tired despite their efforts to get rid of the effects of the traumatic situation. The pacified person needs help from the environment. With the support he receives from the environment, his awareness rises and he begins to act consciously. The stage in which the psychological wounds of the earthquake begin to crust over is the recovery stage. Although the recovery situation is seen as positive, the situation is not so easy. It is the stage where the person is at the highest level of anxiety. Insomnia, having nightmares about the earthquake, remembering the event with disturbing frequency, constant fear of an earthquake, startle reactions, inability to plan for the future, alienation, and avoidance of situations that remind the event are seen. These symptoms can vary from person to person. If a person loses hope that his life will return to the way it was, he may harm himself. The person who can maintain his psychological strength can overcome this situation in a short time [3].

Earthquake is a natural disaster that deeply affects human life and can leave traces that will not be erased for a long time, and should be taken seriously due to its psychological effects. Our inability to prevent disasters or to have the scientific technology to predict beforehand pushes us to create some defense mechanisms. People who experience the earthquake are left alone with various mental problems [4]. The earthquake victims who managed to save their lives after the Kahramanmaraş earthquake, which affected our country deeply in 10 provinces, are left alone with various health problems as well as major traumas. Postearthquake aid and rescue efforts are largely aimed at saving life, rehabilitation of living things, and repairing building and infrastructure services [4].

However, an earthquake is a natural disaster that can cause physical destruction and death, as well as create serious psychological problems for survivors. So, what are the psychological effects and risks created by the earthquake? Stress caused by such dire events can alter hormone levels (cortisol and catecholamines, female estrogen too), sleep, and in the long run hypertension, tachycardia, and sometimes myocardial infarction, but it is also necessary to differentiate the perception of stress in adults and children (Figure 1).

Hypervigilance (Over Excitation)

Earthquake survivors often experience extreme arousal. “At any little noise, he may start running for cover. This is because the body is on high alert to another threat to your safety, which can make you feel tense and nervous. Typically, this response goes away on its own, but if it doesn’t, it could be a feature of something much more serious, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Anxiety and Depression

It is perfectly normal for a person to show symptoms of anxiety and/or depression after their life has been threatened and turned upside down by an earthquake. These two diseases are anxiety and depression; It shows similar symptoms such as fatigue, loss of sleep, decreased interest in daily activities, irritability and inability to concentrate. These symptoms may come and go over time, but it’s important to seek treatment if they prove to be permanent..

Mental Barrier

It is also typical for survivors of earthquakes and other natural disasters to constantly relive the event in their minds. It’s important to get them to stick to and have a routine as soon as possible to help them get back to some sense of normalcy as it will help them be more secure in their environment.

Post Trauma Stress Disorder

The person tends to intrusively and involuntarily ‘relive’ the traumatic event through recurring memories and images and in the moments that follow the tremor; Presence of recurring dreams, nightmares in which the person relives certain scenes of the traumatic event; Response to earthquake-like events (real or symbolic) with intense psychological or physiological disturbance (difficulty falling asleep or insomnia, irritability, difficulty maintaining concentration, hypervigilance, and exaggerated alarm responses)

What Emotions Does the Earthquake Trigger

Anxiety, fear and panic attacks. Anxiety is often a two-sided emotion: on the one hand, it can adapt and push the individual to do their best; on the other hand, it can limit the individual’s existence by making it more vulnerable. With this phobia or fear, “the focus tends to be the desire to control the possibility of another earthquake occurring. However, this is clearly beyond our control and the fear of impending earthquakes causes anxiety (Figure 2) [4]..

Discussion

Diagnosing the psychological effects of the earthquake, approaches to eliminating these effects and solution steps

The great and destructive earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş has caused the death of more than 46 thousand of our people and injured more than 100 thousand people. In addition to the bodily pain and destruction, the fact that the earthquake had dimensions that caused spiritual effects increased the existing pain. In addition to the lifeless bodies left in the wreckage, our spiritual and mental worlds were buried under this wreckage. Some of us have faced this spiritual wreck, some of us indirectly, some of us from the shore and some of us feeling it from the belly. It is also of vital importance to take steps to remove, heal and minimize the effects of this spiritual debris that is lived and felt. Because the earthquake for many years; Our people will feel and experience the mourning, grief, pain, stress, trauma, fear, anxiety, depression and perhaps anxiety in some way.

In order for the psychological effects to be seen during or after the earthquake not to turn into a kind of mental illness and not to evolve to irreparable levels in the future, it is necessary to have at least the minimum of competent actors in their fields such as psychologists, guidance and psychological counselors, psycho-social support specialists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, academics and social workers. It is imperative that they be in the field or share their experiences as much as search and rescue teams. In order to diagnose the psychological effects of the earthquake, to understand the approaches towards eliminating these effects and what the solution steps are, we have prepared an investigation file that will take the opinions of the experts and the psychological problems that are experienced or likely to be experienced in the future.

Answering the following two questions in our file investigation with his valuable views, Marmara University Faculty of Medicine Faculty Member Psychiatry Specialist Prof. Dr. Kemal Sayar (P1), Ankara Social Sciences University, Department of Psychology Lecturer and President of the Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapies Association, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Hakan Turkçapar (P2) and Ankara Social Sciences University, Department of Psychology of Religion Lecturer Prof. Dr. Asim Yapici (P3) contributed his views.

Question 1: What kind of psychological states (stress, trauma, anxiety, depression) can be seen/could be seen in the society in general and in earthquake victims in particular after the great disaster in Turkey? What kind of concrete manifestations of an earthquake can we encounter emotionally, consciously, behaviorally and spiritually?

Answer 1 P1: Our country is facing a great disaster. During this period, many of our people lost their relatives and were displaced from their homes. Even if they survived this disaster, they were left alone with a heavy mourning. They lost many relatives in this earthquake. They lost their city. This means that we mourn not only the lives we have lost, but also a history, a tradition, a tradition, a memory that we have lost. All this can lead to many complex reactions in us. Of course, we had a big shock at first. Our traumatized and traumatized people, in particular, responded with a severe shock response. Each of us shared this shock reaction in our own rooms, in our own corners. The survivors, as it were, lost a share of the survivor’s guilt.

We were glued to the screens and almost relived that trauma over and over again. We were also hopeful with every citizen who was pulled out of the rubble alive. We experienced happiness, we wanted to look to the future with more hope. But when these had passed and hopes had dwindled, it gradually gave way to a heavy grief.

“Social solidarity is one of the most important tools of recovery from trauma”.

We hear the word trauma a lot these days. Trauma means crushing yourself under a greater psychological burden than you can handle. We can almost say that the suffering we experience crushes us for trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition that people who have been exposed to severe trauma (such as an earthquake) frequently encounter. If the stress disorder continues after a month, we can talk about post-traumatic stress disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder was named in soldiers at the beginning of the twentieth century by names such as “bullet shock” and “war neurosis”. post-traumatic stress disorder: It manifests itself with states such as constantly remembering the traumatic experience, avoiding memories about it, having nightmares that are constantly recurring, feeling negative emotions, overreacting, being in a constant state of uneasiness and vigilance. The person constantly experiences that hurt moment with nightmares and flashbacks, avoids going to the trauma site, shows signs of overstimulation and startle. Sometimes it goes into a state of complete numbness and does not react.

There are some factors that protect us against trauma. In societies where there is a sense of social integration and solidarity, post-traumatic stress disorder develops less. The cultural meaning given to the traumatic event determines the severity of the reaction. The society may have taken a more accepting attitude towards natural disasters. If there is a human hand in this natural disaster, which is something that is discussed in Turkey, it may be a little more difficult to accept it.

Not only spiritual trauma, but also mourning will be common”. The social support we receive can be one of the factors that determine the severity of trauma. Our society showed a very intense sense of cooperation with this earthquake. This cooperation, he says, will guide us in a faster recovery from the heavy traumatic experience. This sense of solidarity experienced by our survivors made them feel that they were not alone. Therefore, we can say that social solidarity is one of the most important tools of recovery from trauma. But here, the whole issue is not just psychological trauma, but mourning or a common situation. The whole world of a person who lost his loved ones has changed. Feelings of longing, grief, anger and even guilt began to haunt people. A relationship with the disappeared person can increase this vulnerability. If she is too dependent on him, too close, she is likely to have a more complex grieving response. The fact that death occurs in traumatic environments and the subsequent feeling of helplessness can make grieving a little more difficult.

With psychological intervention, we have to provide a sense of security in the person in the first place. For our disaster victims, first of all, we have to take them to a safe place. Second, we have to calm down. Third, we have to give a sense of competence, both for ourselves and for society. Fourth, we need to make bonding easier. Fifth, we must instill hope. Providing a sense of security reduces the stress reactions of trauma that will occur after the earthquake. It also reduces and heals belief that the world is too dangerous and exaggerating the risk of the future. Calming prevents the anxiety that comes with trauma and the overstimulation, numbness, and emotionality that come with it. By regulating one’s thoughts feelings and behaviors, it gives a sense of competence over time. It reinforces his belief that he will cope with difficult events.

A sense of connection is essential for well-being and healing. Connecting is achieved by sharing traumatic experiences, increasing emotional meaning and acceptance, and normalizing reactions and experiences. The two most common emotional reactions of survivors of traumatic events are fear and anxiety. Grief, anger, depression and restlessness are also common in such situations. Some people feel hopeless and empty about the future.

“Traumatic stress responses often prevent us from thinking correctly”.

Another emotional response is lethargy. Withdrawal and alienation from people. Especially if there has been a significant deviation from the person’s previous life, if the current life shows a very clear break from the previous life, these are the symptoms to be aware of. As a result of traumatic stress, people may increase in alcohol and substance use. He may turn to such habits to calm his anxiety. May show overprotective attitudes towards the family. He may not want to leave his children with him at all. He may want to isolate himself from other people. It may be common to stay away from things that bring to mind the traumatic event. Traumatic stress responses often prevent us from thinking correctly. In this case, we may have difficulty making decisions and keeping certain things in our memory.

Flashbacks are a reaction that brings the victim back to the original traumatic event. The person can feel the moment he/ she smells during the original event with his/her senses. Usually this takes thirty seconds or less. If this becomes permanent, psychiatric follow-up is required. People’s responses to traumatic stress vary. Every person has a different psycho-social story and temperament. We can talk about innumerable variables that will ensure our ability to cope with the challenge. How prepared are we for the disaster? Even the question reveals how we will react [5].

Answer 1 P2: Before looking at the main psychological reactions that can be seen after trauma, we need to look at the definition of trauma. Because the definition of trauma also clarifies to us what the reactions to it might be. Trauma means experiencing or witnessing a situation in which there is a real danger of death, serious injury or threat to bodily integrity. We divide traumatic experiences into two as natural and humanmade traumas. When we say natural traumas, earthquake is one of the top priority and it has an aspect that separates it from other natural traumas. Because the earthquake is sudden and unexpected, it is very destructive, and then its remnants continue very heavily.

There are serious consequences in the earthquake such as the threat to the life of the person and the loss of important relatives even if he or she survives, the loss of many assets that the person owns, the disappearance of memories and the disappearance of the place he owns. When we look at it this way, the first thing that can be seen frequently is the symptoms we call acute stress symptoms. Acute stress symptoms can be seen in almost everyone after trauma. In the first days of trauma, symptoms can be very intense. This is not a sure indicator for the condition to turn into a psychological disorder later on. The effects of trauma, especially as a result of a natural event, are very different from human-made traumas. However, we also know that traumas due to natural disasters, subsequent trauma. In terms of the risk of post-stress developmental disorder, it is less risky than human-induced ones. But here, earthquake trauma stands out in that it is more severe.

“One of the most common conditions in a traumatic event is depression”.

When we say post-traumatic stress disorder, we must understand that it continues from one month after a traumatic event. Re-experiencing the trauma event, remembering it over and over again, feeling as if it is happening again and having symptoms of avoidance are the main indicators of permanent changes in the mood of the person. It is possible to add the following to these symptoms; It can be added that she perceives herself as different from other people, as if everything has changed now, reacts suddenly and intensely to things that remind her of the trauma, and that these intense reactions seem to be experiencing trauma again. When there is post-traumatic stress disorder, the person experiences the trauma intensely with fear and anxiety, not as if it is a finished event, but as if he is reliving it all over again. As I said, it is normal for these reactions to occur within the first month, it is natural. If it continues after one month, we call it post-traumatic stress disorder.

Apart from this, one of the most common conditions in a traumatic event is depression. At the moment, the onset of depression is an early stage. Because we are in the mourning phase, and depression and grief symptoms overlap in everyone, sometimes these symptoms can be confused. If the mourning phase also exceeds or continues for a certain period of time, there will be a mental breakdown, which we call depression. Depression triggers itself the most when the person is faced with a loss, when there is an irreversible loss. Apart from this, the third most common phenomenon is the possibility of generalized anxiety disorder symptoms or earthquake phobia, which will cover the whole society, in the future [5].

Earthquake survivors also experience what is called survival guilt.

Answer 1 P3: A terrible destruction took place in our country with the earthquakes of 7.7 and 7.6 magnitudes in Kahramanmaraş. Fifteen million people living in approximately eleven cities were directly affected by this earthquake. However, every citizen of our country has felt and experienced this pain deeply. Earthquake, which is a natural disaster; It activates feelings of confusion, anger, powerlessness, helplessness, fear of death, insecurity and meaninglessness. Because even his home, which is the most reliable place for the earthquake victim, who is trying to understand what is going on and cling to life, is now insecure and uncanny. Being stuck between life and death not only feeds the sense of meaninglessness, but also triggers the guilt of surviving.

Post-traumatic stress disorders often occur in earthquake survivors. In this context, with hypersensitivity, there is often a fear that an earthquake will occur again. Anxiety disorders come into play. Due to hypersensitivity, easily frightened or frightened, being always alert to danger, inability to sleep, concentration difficulties, irritability, outbursts of anger and aggressive behaviors are seen. Because the level of tolerance is constantly decreasing. Dissociative disorders, which we can also call psychological anesthesia or depersonalization, can be seen. From time to time, introversion or indifference may occur. All of these are basically different images of suppressing the pain and trauma experienced. Earthquake survivors also experience a feeling called survival guilt. These feelings after trauma are normal. If it lasts longer than a month or a half, professional support should be sought. Feelings of fear, anxiety, helplessness, helplessness and uselessness arise in those who are not directly exposed to the earthquake, but watch this situation with all their horror on TV and digital media. Viewers begin to feel guilty (Figure 3) [5].

Question 2: In your opinion, to eliminate some emotional, conscious, behavioral and mental disorders after the disaster; What could be the basic principles, approach and treatment interventions? What should be done in the first place? What kind of steps should be taken to eliminate negative mental effects in the medium and long term? We must turn our grief for our loss into respect and kindness for our survivors.

Answer 2 P1: Trauma is not an issue that can be easily resolved. It is necessary to approach the pain by walking on tiptoe. First, we need to build security-based emotional states that will silence the danger signals. Abused people need trust first. It is not right to confront them with traumas too quickly. If the flashbacks are getting too long, it is absolutely necessary to get psychiatric help. The person must first be helped to establish a base within himself. It is necessary to provide comfort for him to feel calm and safe. We need to listen to people who have experienced trauma. We must listen to them. We should listen to them as they speak. We shouldn’t force them to talk. We should not think that we can comfort them by giving them simple advice. In order to make them feel that we understand their pain, we must remind them that we will be with them unconditionally, that we are ready for them and that we can listen to them whenever they want.

Man heals with man. Our society is facing great pain right now. We will feel the effects of this mass trauma for many years to come. There is a phrase I always say. We must learn to turn our grief for our loss into respect and kindness for our survivors. Only by healing each other, by giving ears and shoulders to each other, will we be able to heal over time. Let’s not wait for the pain to be expressed early for those affected by the earthquake. Sometimes talking about pain too soon can be damaging. Great pains are mute and may take some time to be expressed. Let’s make our interlocutors feel that we are there only for them and that we are ready to listen to them with love, unconditional friendship and brotherhood. Let’s prepare the steps that can gradually reactivate them in life. Let’s try to bring them back into the routines of life.

“Sometimes life heals us, psychology not science”. Let’s try to make life flow and live again for them. Let’s try to overcome the obstacles in front of them and support them in this regard. Psychology doesn’t always help people. Sometimes, the good will, sincere effort of our friends or friends around us, and the effort for the existence of that great nation around us also heals us. Sometimes life heals us, psychology not science. Some things remain as a scar that is not forgotten. But it may be possible to heal those wounds in a more rational way to the future, by taking lessons from the mistakes of the past, by learning, and with the steps we will take. Each of us must take these steps carefully. We can move forward by asking ourselves the question “What can I do in an environment where so many people are suffering, what can I do to help people”. Let no one belittle himself, each of us has something to do. We can all contribute to this healing process.

The last thing I want to say, I would like to end by quoting a book by Amin Maalouf; If the roads of the future are filled with compasses, the worst thing to do would be to walk blindfolded, muttering that everything will be fine. The roads of the future are full of compasses. Now we know what we did wrong, and we can’t build the future just by muttering that everything will be fine. We have to follow the direction of the compasses [5]. The most important thing to do in the first month is to provide basic living conditions.

Answer 2 P2: In the first month after trauma, almost all of the psychological symptoms that we count in the stress disorder of trauma can be seen in normal people. However, this situation disappears on its own at a rate of about ninety percent in about a month. Therefore, the most important thing to do in the first month is to prevent the prolongation of the trauma. What do I mean? The first thing to do for a traumatized person is to be removed from the trauma environment, the trauma area. If the person is placed in a safe place, as well as improving his living conditions, providing a warm environment, meeting his needs for shelter, food and drink, and reuniting with his survivors, it will be easier to recover himself and the effects of the trauma will be less.

If the person is without shelter, shelter and hunger, there is a condition that needs to be treated physically, or if it prolongs, he lives in pain, the uncertainty prolongs and he cannot know the future. This causes the effects of fear and trauma to last longer. As I said in reducing these effects, the most important thing in the first month is to provide basic protection, basic care and basic living conditions. This is very important. Again, in the first period of the trauma, before these conditions are met or even if they are, unnecessary psychological interventions to be made within the first month will unfortunately lead to negative results and increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder. For us, the trauma symptoms that continue after a month are the feeling of unreality, being disconnected from the environment, remembering the event frequently, being easily aroused, sleep disturbance, feeling bad emotionally, losing emotions, being disconnected from the environment, feeling lonely and feeling lonely. manifests itself with symptoms such as re-experiencing the trauma.

It is important for us that what we call post-traumatic stress disorder, which is a psychological disorder in a sense, increases or does not increase the likelihood of experiencing it. Now, if we disrupt the natural recovery period in the first month, unfortunately, post-traumatic stress disorder may increase later on. What does it mean to disrupt the natural healing process? Unnecessarily giving routine information about trauma and talking about its consequences. Here is the trauma, these things happen after the trauma, scientific studies show us that when people who have experienced trauma are subjected to some kind of education, such as the following should be done, such education has no benefits and increases the possibility of experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder later on.

Therefore, the solution or treatment steps accepted scientifically today are to be with people who have experienced trauma in the first month, to support them, to try to bring their physical environment to the best possible condition, to bring them together with their relatives, to provide protection, shelter, food and to keep them away from the trauma environment as much as possible. Psychological interventions, on the other hand, should be considered and applied more for people who experience symptoms that persist after the first month and do not improve on their own [5].

Victims should be encouraged to spend time with their families or friends.

Answer 2 P3: First of all, it is necessary to make the earthquake victims feel that they are not alone and that they are not abandoned. In this context, the issues that they need the most at the time they are in should be identified and they should be tried to be eliminated. Earthquake victims, “How/where did you get caught in the earthquake?”, “How did you survive?” such questions should not be asked, but if they tell something themselves, active listening should be practiced and responded with reflective language. Emotions including crying, anger and resentment may manifest in them. Such behavior should be considered normal for the time being. If they explain their situation through testing, tawakkul, destiny and divine providence, it should not be objected to, this should be respected, and moreover, earthquake victims should be given the opportunity to receive support from their beliefs.

Opposite attitudes can also manifest. Especially with shock, denial and anger, “Why my God, me/us?” If there are those who accuse Allah by saying that, these people should not be silenced with the language of religious advice and consolation. They may also blame themselves for the anger they experience, inspired by the guilt of surviving. In this case, “It’s a sin, don’t think like that, repent” etc. should not be called. The earthquake survivor, writhing with feelings of helplessness and insecurity, should be allowed to release the tension inside. Because the tension that is not discharged can manifest in different and very violent forms later on.

Conclusion

It should not be rushed to talk about such issues with the earthquake victims within the scope of spiritual counseling, and the first shock of the disaster and its reflections should be expected to pass. Because earthquake survivors need understanding the most after their physiological and safety needs. The best therapy is to listen to the interlocutor without arguing, judging or questioning. Earthquake survivors may want to be alone. This is natural, but they should be encouraged to spend time with their family or friends from time to time during the day, that is, to receive social support. Constantly watching earthquake news/ videos and talking about the earthquake are psychologically exhausting for them. It would be beneficial to stay away from such behaviors as much as possible, to talk about different subjects, to engage in different activities and to try to normalize life [5]..

To prevent psychological disorders that may arise after a disaster, to re-establish and develop relations at the family and community level, to help the affected people realize their own capacities and to strengthen their resilience in the process of returning to their normal lives, to increase the skills of coping with possible disasters and emergencies that may occur in the future, and to support relief efforts. It is expressed as a set of multidisciplinary services that includes and is carried out at every stage of the disaster cycle. Psychological support activities play a major role in coping with negative situations after disasters. Psychological support is the most important phase of the recovery phase of disaster management. Psychological support helps the society to return to its former psychosocial state by relieving the victims, guiding them, and teaching the methods of coping with the negative situations that arise.

References

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