Pointing out the importance of early intervention in earthquake-related traumas, experts emphasize that the trauma should not last more than a month. Parents have an important role to play in coping with the fear of earthquakes in children. Correct information should be given to the child about the earthquake, and fears and concerns should be managed correctly.
In our country, which is an earthquake country, 1-7 March is known as Earthquake Week. It is aimed to raise awareness about the preparations for possible earthquakes.
Üsküdar University NP Etiler Medical Center Specialist Clinical Psychologist Serkan Elçi gave important advice on fear of earthquakes and coping with fear of earthquakes.
Earthquake trauma should not last more than a month
Noting that there are three types of earthquake-related traumas, Serkan Elçi said, “There are three types of trauma. Primary trauma is the person’s direct exposure to this event. Secondary trauma is the exposure of one’s relatives to it. Tertiary trauma is the processes that continue through the media and news. “When acute trauma lasts longer than a month, it can cause very serious problems,” he warned.
Beware of post-traumatic stress disorder!
Noting that it is very important to deal with the traumatic processes of people with the time passed after the earthquake, Serkan Elçi said, “The discomfort we call post-traumatic stress disorder is the name we give to the processes that develop after a certain period of time and do not experience improvements in the mental state of the person. In fact, every trauma is a loss and every loss contains mourning.
Pointing out that there are certain reactions that people show during mourning periods, Serkan Elçi said, “Some of them are anger, bargaining, depressiveness, and then the process of acceptance begins. Therefore, it is quite normal for people to be in anger, rebellion, bargaining and depressive collapse during this period.
Earthquake trauma should be intervened in a timely manner
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Serkan Elçi, who noted that traumas after the earthquake must be intervened in a timely manner, said, “When these traumas are not resolved, that is, if this person does not receive psychological intervention in time, the person may experience problems with his family in the future, experience anxiety disorders called anxiety, and if he does not use alcohol, he may turn to alcohol and inflict violence on his children. Raw, unprocessed information, which has a different psychological background, may appear as a different psychological problem after a while.”
Pointing out that traumatic events such as earthquakes can be triggered when similar events occur years later, Serkan Elçi said, “Even people who have never known the earthquake can have very clear information about the earthquake. “At the moment, even young children know about the earthquake because it is talked about,” he said.
The child takes his parents as an example in his fear of earthquakes.
Stating that parents have an important role in coping with earthquake anxiety, especially in children, Serkan Elçi said, “The anxiety of the parents is clearly passed on to the child. Of course, the child should not be lied to while giving information about the earthquake, but it is very important to make him feel safe and secure.
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Serkan Elçi pointed out the importance of raising awareness about earthquakes and taking precautions in combating earthquake phobia.
Source: (BHA) – Beyaz News Agency
