Disasters in any form have consequences at all levels. Apart from financial, one can also experience psychological problems. This aftermath of natural and man-made disasters needs to be handled and Randy Colvin, an associate professor of Psychology at Northeastern University suggests a few ways in which some people can improve their emotional health in the face of such stress.
When asked about the psychological impact on people caused due to double tip recession, Colvin says that many experienced some sort of emotional residue. It is the fearful and anxious state of mind which triggers disturbed psychology. It is also helplessness in people who have already struggled through the first recession and are now scared to face another one.
Depression is a common factor that is observed in people when they encounter one negative event after another. In this case, all negative events become a primary focus and all the psychological attention is drawn towards it. However, everyone has a different way of reacting to crises because of the wide range of responses shown in difficult times. Some may show signs of helplessness and others might be unfazed enough to cripple friends and family members.
Colvin is then asked to suggest a few methods that people can adopt in order to improve their psychological health even if the problems due to natural disasters and economic crisis still remain. He says that staying connected to friends, family, and neighbours, who have experienced the same event, can become a great source of emotional and psychological support as they are able to exactly understand how it feels to be in crises.
People say, “No matter what I do, things keep getting worse”. They, who cannot persist, give up. With the help of friends and loved ones, people may actually find ways to cope up with stress and improve their mental health.
Akshara Palshetkar