Introduction
Currently, an extensive number of external and internal factors have been identified that result in psychological problems in individuals. They seriously contribute to the mental state and can lead to long-term trauma. Extreme natural factors are particularly critical, and the study of their influence should be given particularly close attention. Thus, the research topic of this work is the study of the impact on people in stressful situations and the psychological consequences of the influence of extreme natural factors on a person.
The Influence of Extreme Factors on People
First, it is necessary to gain an understanding of what natural disasters are. Most often, they represent the consequences of the impact of human activity on the environment. Among them, there may be the use of land for production or entertainment purposes, which bring significant damage to it. A detrimental consequence of this aspect is the violation and disturbance of ecological balance, which subsequently brings suffering to people.
Moreover, natural disasters have a characteristic of surprise; that is, nothing can prepare people for these consequences, which have been building up for a long time. The most common disaster data examples are floods, earthquakes, or hurricanes (Introduction to Natural Disaster). As a result of these circumstances, a large number of devastating and tremendous problems arise for people.
Hence, individuals face property damage or destruction, losing their homes and other belongings. In addition, they may be subjected to physical injuries, some of which can turn people’s lives around, and they will never be the same. For communities, natural disasters disrupt essential components such as transportation, communication, and power systems.
The study of various environmental issues cannot be limited to the analysis of the destructive influence of human nature. It is reasonable to investigate the social and psychological aspects of environmental ecology. One is the infliction of physical and moral harm to individuals who had to survive the disaster (Makwana 3090). Morganstein and Ursano stated, “Earlier and more common responses include distress reactions and health risk behaviors” (3). In the future, encounters with the horrific consequences of natural disasters will lead to more serious psychological abnormalities, such as anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
The collision leaves the strongest imprint with the death of loved ones and grief. These experiences have a lasting effect on individuals and can seriously affect them in the long run. In addition, with widespread destruction due to natural disasters, people are deprived of the opportunity to receive timely, qualified assistance not only to heal wounds and injuries but also to address mental experiences and problems. Thus, exposure to a traumatic event such as an environmental disaster can lead to the development of severe psychological abnormalities and disorders, which can lead to a general deterioration in the well-being of society.
A particularly valuable insight regarding the experience of people who are going through a natural disaster is provided in the book by Dave Eggers called “Zeitoun.” In this work, the author describes the events that happened to real people during the terrible Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005. This is a story about the life of a single family, both before and after the storm. Through multiple chapters, the writer describes the main experiences and emotions people face when they encounter these terrible circumstances.
When reading the book by Dave Eggers, you can get a deeper understanding of what factors most affect the psychological state of individuals after a natural disaster. So, the author describes cases in which people had to stay on the roofs of their houses for a long time due to widespread flooding. Moreover, for many, their home turned into prisons, as water and destruction blocked them from leaving their residence. These kinds of circumstances have an irreversible effect on the mental well-being of disaster victims, which is fueled by constant stress and a lack of understanding of what to do next. Thus, this work is relevant for the study of how stressful situations and extreme natural factors have an impact on a person’s psychological state.
The book is written from the words of the Zeitoun family: This is a documentary narrated by Abdulrahman and Katie Zeitoun. They talk about the imprint the tragedy left on them, describing their emotions in a dynamic, strong, and intense way. The author very clearly paints a picture of the tragedy that the protagonist had to go through.
Natural disasters in the book are compared with heavenly punishments. Despite what is happening, the main character tries in every possible way to help people around them, which is an example of how some cope with the trauma caused by a natural disaster. Zeitoun is making every possible effort to rescue and support those in a more difficult situation. On the other hand, it can be assumed that the character does this to avoid his own experiences, which may harm his well-being.
The writer provides a particularly valuable insight into the consequences of destruction caused by natural disasters. The author initially states that “the only thing that came to his mind was the Last Judgment, Noah, and rain, which lasted forty days and forty nights” (Eggers 93). He points out that mental pain in such situations is more often stronger than physical, that “at some point, it occurred to Zeitoun that the cause of the pain was not infection or trauma, but despair” (Eggers 154). Therefore, the topic for discussion in this paper is reactive emotional states that develop during natural disasters and catastrophes.
Application
The next aspect that needs to be considered in the framework of this paper is the application of the information received about the problem under discussion. Therefore, this issue applies beyond the concepts of the book and is a worthwhile problem to research. It is no coincidence that a person’s psychological well-being is correlated with the influence of environmental factors, including natural ones.
First, studying the consequences and impact of natural disasters on the human psyche contributes to paying attention to measures that researchers can develop. In other words, scientific work can be carried out that will study the impact of this kind of event in more detail and find interventions that can be undertaken most quickly and effectively. Research stated that “it is important that education and training for healthcare personnel and disaster managers continue to evolve beyond contemporary approaches of diagnosing and treating illness” (Morganstein and Ursano 3). To fulfill this criterion, it is necessary to carry out educational measures for healthcare providers and volunteers, who are among the first to interact with victims.
Environmental safety is one of the vital concepts that must be considered in this framework. It is one of the essential components of the national security of society and the state (What Is Environmental Health and Safety?). Environmental safety is usually examined in the categories of protection of the natural environment, man, and individual groups from the harmful influence of anthropogenic and artificial factors, including natural disasters. Psychopathological disorders that arise from extreme and traumatic situations have many similarities with clinical disorders that develop under normal circumstances. The main characteristic of these consequences is the surprise of a collision with stress, which leaves a crucial imprint on the psychological state of individuals.
However, there are also significant differences, making this a worthwhile research issue. Because extreme situations include many traumatic factors that can suddenly occur, people may experience a large number of mental disorders at once. This presents a great challenge and an area of concern for both the people and others around them.
Secondly, the clinical picture in these cases is not strictly individual, as in normal traumatic circumstances, and is reduced to a small number of quite typical manifestations. Specific attention must be paid to the fact that people are forced to continue their lives and deal with the consequences of psychogenic issues. This must be done for the sake of survival and preserving the lives of people who are valuable to the individual.
Reactive states that develop during natural disasters and catastrophes belong to a large group of psychogenic disorders, among which neurotic and pathoharacterological reactions, neuroses, and reactive psychoses are distinguished. Studying these disorders is necessary since disasters of various kinds occur regularly, and a deep consideration of their psychological consequences can help victims restore emotional health. Moreover, it can contribute to the improvement of policies and approaches to assist those who are faced with this life-changing problem.
Expectations
In the course of the research, I expect to learn diverse considerations of clinical forms and variants of psychogenic disorders and their differentiation from a wide range of neurosis-like and psychopathic conditions. This also includes features of analysis, assessment of the dynamics of the condition, and paraclinical studies. In addition, I would be interested in identifying non-pathological physiological neurotic phenomena, such as stress reactions and adaptive reactions, as well as neurotic reactions, states, and reactive psychoses. In each of these diagnostic groups, some features determine the medical-organizational and therapeutic tactics, which are also advisable to investigate.
The study of the mental disorders observed in extreme situations, as well as the analysis of the entire complex of rescue, social, and medical measures, was examined. This makes it possible to schematically distinguish three periods of development of the situation in which various psychogenic disorders are observed. The first acute period is characterized by a sudden threat to one’s own life and the death of loved ones. The consequence of this option is the emergence of emotional distress, which is reflected in the substantial impact and pressure on the psychological state of people. Thus, anxiety, depression, or even posttraumatic stress disorder may occur, which is characteristic of experiencing events such as natural disasters.
In the second period, which takes place during the deployment of rescue operations, figuratively speaking, everyday life begins. Individuals gradually gain the opportunity to evaluate what has happened to them and find the coping mechanisms suitable for them. At this stage, it is critically important to determine the correct direction of recovery, which will not lead to a deterioration in a person’s psychological well-being. Most often, the process of somatization occurs, which implies the translation of internal experiences into a physiological state (Zbidat et al. 8). Therefore, for individuals, it is of particular importance to share their experiences and feelings with others and involve specialized services that will help avoid deterioration of mental well-being.
Further, it is worth paying attention to some interventions that can be applied when working with those who have become victims of a natural disaster. One of the most effective options is group therapy. It involves holding meetings with several people and a psychologist, discussing the past experiences of individuals, and finding ways to solve them.
This approach is particularly practical due to the creation of a community and providing patients with an understanding that they are not the only ones who have experienced trauma after a natural disaster. Moreover, it is “a way to help lessen the stigma or shame survivors may feel and help individuals overcome social anxiety or fear” (Lawrenz and Pedersen para. 18). Thus, such an intervention as group therapy has value in assisting after natural disasters.
Another approach that may be effective is cognitive behavioral therapy. It focuses on changing the attitude and perception of individuals who are experienced. In addition, this type of psychological assistance helps to limit such issues as anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Individuals gain awareness about how to perceive and interpret their emotions. Cognitive behavioral therapy also provides an opportunity to find ways to cope with trauma through a long learning process.
Conclusion
In conclusion, conducting research on how stressful situations caused by natural disasters negatively affect the psychological state of a person is of great value. This is due to several factors, one of which is the strongest traumatic shock that individuals experience due to an unexpected event. The book by Dave Eggers called “Zeitoun” provides an important insight into what feelings and emotions people experience when natural disasters occur and how they affect their mental well-being.
Within the framework of this work, the methods that can provide assistance in coping with psychological trauma were also investigated. Among the most effective were group and cognitive behavioral therapy, which help to develop a sense of community, increase awareness of emotions and experiences, and understand ways to solve them. This is of particular value since, in the absence of these measures, people who have survived natural disasters can develop issues such as anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Of particular importance is awareness of the problems that have arisen and finding coping mechanisms that will help avoid negative consequences, for example, such as somatization. In addition, often, the causes of these disasters are human activity that harms the environment and, thereby themselves. Knowledge of this aspect will allow people to develop safer and more sustainable methods of environmental treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to study this topic in detail and spread awareness in society.
Works Cited
Eggers, Dave. Zeitoun. Vintage Books, 2009.
“Introduction to Natural Disaster.” Vedantu. 2023. Web.
Lawrenz, Lori and Traci Pedersen. “Can Group Therapy Help Heal Trauma?” PsychCenter. 2022. Web.
Makwana, Nikunj. “Disaster and Its Impact on Mental Health: A Narrative Review.” Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, vol. 8, no. 10, 2019, p. 3090.
Morganstein, Joshua C., and Robert J. Ursano. “Ecological Disasters and Mental Health: Causes, Consequences, and Interventions,” Frontier Psychiatry, vol. 11, 2020.
“What Is Environmental Health and Safety?” EKU. 2022. Web.
Zbidat, Ali, et al. “The Perceptions of Trauma, Complaints, Somatization, and Coping Strategies among Syrian Refugees in Germany—A Qualitative Study of an At-Risk Population.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 3, 2020, pp. 1-15.