Dr. Shakir Ozdemir: A reminder of the moment of the earthquake, the cause of mental depression

Stressing that the earthquake caused sudden physical and mental damage, OFM Antalya Hospital Psychiatry Uz. Dr. Shakir Ozdemir said: “Uncertainty and ambiguity are situations that people find it difficult to bear spiritually. An earthquake is a natural disaster that develops suddenly and rapidly and can cause serious physical and mental damage. Even though a few minutes is a very short time in all human life, it is a very long time that is hard to bear and spiritually endure for survivors of natural disasters and calamities such as earthquakes. They have strong feelings of fear and helplessness. “There is a state of shock and horror, whose life is completely out of his control, heading towards an uncontrollable disaster,” he said.

“The state of anger and irritability in children”

Stating that the greatest psychological changes occur in children during an earthquake, psychiatrist Uz. Dr. Sakir Ozdemir; He described the changes that occur in irritability and anger in children in the following words:

“For children, the mental consequences of such natural disasters can have more severe and lasting traumatic consequences. It is more difficult for children to understand the situation than adults. Feelings of fear and helplessness may be deeper. They may show traumatic psychological symptoms even months after the devastating effects of a natural disaster have passed. For example; It’s like a child of 6-7 years old, who has received the habit of toilet training, starts to leak again. They may show symptoms such as irritability, anger and bouts of crying, sudden fright, trouble sleeping.”

“It is important to remove despair”

Disorder. Dr. Özdemir said that the psychological effects of earthquakes and similar disasters can be treated with medication and psychotherapy. Ozdemir; “The spiritual consequences of earthquakes and similar disasters; It can cause mental disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. These can be feelings, thoughts and behaviors, such as remembering the moment of the earthquake over and over again, as if you were re-experiencing the earthquake, sudden jerks, fear, anxiety and restlessness, insomnia, nightmares, low morale, discouragement, loneliness, hopelessness and helplessness. These disorders can be treated with medication and psychotherapy. The most important thing to do for a person who has experienced an earthquake or similar disaster is; So that you feel that you are understood, that you are not alone, that you are not helpless. It is important that he feels safe. It is important to suppress despair. Social support is important,” he said.

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