Mental health articles

Integrating mental health with disaster relief
Disasters demand a holistic approach to health. In providing for basic needs, the relief worker is also providing an important mental health intervention. Counselling will help victims cope better with their situation. Counselling a disaster victim should include:
• finding out about where other members of the family are – often families are separated as a result of a disaster and putting families together can be an very important task;
• asking about what the person needs – practical help, for example information on how to rebuild a home, may be the most important thing;
• asking about what the person remembers of the events of the disaster – discussing and sharing the traumatic experience can help reduce the sense of isolation and loneliness;
• problem-solving – the person may feel overwhelmed by the scale of problems she is facing, and helping her select the main problems and then work out ways of tackling them
can be an important empowering experience;
• providing treatment for mental disorders, such as depression.
Many different agencies come together to work in areas affected
by disaster. It is important for you to be aware of the different facilities being offered by them. You may find that there are specific facilities being organised for mental health care. If this is the case,then you may consider referring individuals who are very depressed or suicidal to them. Finally, remember that working with disaster
victims (and victims of violence and war) can itself be stressful;
look after your own mental health as well.

 

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Tags: disaster, Health, mental, Mental health