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Learning From The Past and Planning For The Future
MENTAL HEALTH MOMENT March 26, 2004 "Bad is never good until worse happens." - Danish Proverb
Short Subjects
LINKS Rocky Mountain Region
Disaster Mental Health Institute
CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS:
CRISES IN RURAL AMERICA
Crisis Interventions And
Critical Incident Stress Management:
Current Status and Future Directions
April 21-24, 2004
Casper, Wyoming
Registration: 1-800-442-2963 ext 2212
Society of Australasian
Social Psychologists 33rd Annual Meeting
April 15 - 18, 2004
Location: Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
27th National AACBT Conference
(Australian Association for
Cognitive and Behavior Therapy)
May 15 - 19, 2004
Location: Perth, Western Australia
AUSTRALIA
Society of Australasian Social Psychologists
33rd Annual Meeting
April 15 - 18, 2004
Location: Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Contact: SASP@auckland.ac.nz
Deadline for submissions: 1 February 2004WFPHA 10th International Congress on
Public Health: Sustaining Public Health
in a Changing World: Vision to Action
April 19-22, 2004
Location: Brighton, ENGLAND
Contact: Allen K. Jones, PhD
Secretary General World Federation of
Public Health Associations
Email: stacey.succop@apha.org7th European Conference on Psychological Assessment
April 1 - 4, 2004
Location: Malaga, SPAIN
Contact: Antonio Godoy
Facultad de Psicologia
Universidad de Malaga
29071 Malaga.( SPAIN)
Tel. (34) 952 13 25 32
Fax (34) 95213 11 00
Email: godoy@uma.esAnnual Conference Society for
Industrial/Organizational Psychology (SIOP)
April 2 - 4, 2004 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Email: lhakel@siop.bgsu.edu3rd Annual Hawaii
International Conference on Social Sciences
June 16 - 19, 2004
Location: Honolulu Hawaii, USA
Contact: social@hicsocial.orgSociety for the Psychological Study of
Social Issues (SPSSI) Convention
June 25 - 27, 2004
Location: Washington, DC, USA
17th Congress of the International Association
of Cross-Cultural Psychology (IACCP)
August 2 - 6, 2004
Location: Xi'an, CHINA
Contact: Zheng Gang
Institute of Psychology
Chinese Academy of Sciences
100101 Beijing, China
Email: iaccp2004@psych.ac.cn
Paulison Speaks At S.C. Hurricane Conference
FEMA's Preparedness Director R. David Paulison was the opening speaker for the South Carolina Hurricane and Emergency Preparedness Conference. The other featured speaker was Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center. For the Full Story, Go To: http://www.fema.gov/hazards/hurricanes/
Students Assist With California Fire Cleanup
As college students across the nation put away the books this week and headed to the beach, students from Texas Tech boarded a bus for their annual Spring Break trip to California. But instead of bathing suits, they packed work gloves and hard hats. For the Full Story, Go To: http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=11587
Federal Agency Coordination Group Tasked By President Bush To Aid In California Wildfire Recovery Efforts Releases Report
The California Fires Coordination Group (CFCG), formed by President Bush immediately following the outbreak of the California wildfires that scorched over 750,000 acres and destroyed over 3,600 homes in October of 2003, today released its report on the recovery efforts from these devastating wildfires that were among the largest fire incidents in American history. The interagency coordination group, comprised of top government officials tasked with coordinating the federal government’s portion of the recovery operation, was chaired by Michael D. Brown, Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response. For the Full Story, Go To: http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=11274
Annan announces disciplinary measures against UN officials for security failures in Iraq
Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced a series of disciplinary measures, including calls for the resignation of senior UN officials, following the release of a critical report by a panel that identified institutional and individual failures in assessing the security situation in Baghdad prior to the terrorist attack last August that killed 22 people, including the UN’s top envoy in Iraq. For Full Story, Go To: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=10236&Cr=iraq&Cr1=
UN electoral team arrives in Iraq
A team of United Nations electoral experts arrived in Baghdad along with security support, a UN spokesman said in New York. For the Full Story, Go To: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=10221&Cr=iraq&Cr1=
UN, memorial conference on Rwandan genocide considers lessons for future
Just days ahead of the 10-year anniversary of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, the United Nations hosted a memorial conference to mark the occasion, which served as an opportunity to review past mistakes and draw lessons for the future. For the Full Story, Go To: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=10218&Cr=rwanda&Cr1=
Resolution condemning killing of Hamas leader defeated by US veto in Security Council
The United Nations Security Council failed to adopt a resolution that would have condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, with the United States vetoing what it called a one-sided text. The resolution, sponsored by Algeria and Libya, garnered 11 tallies in favour, with the United States casting the sole vote against it. Germany, Romania and the United Kingdom abstained. For Full Story, Go To: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=10209&Cr=palestin&Cr1=
UN mission to remain in Afghanistan another year, Security Council decides
Renewing the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) by another 12 months, the Security Council stressed the importance of extending central authority across the whole country and disarming, demobilizing and reintegrating all armed factions. By unanimous agreement, the Council adopted a resolution continuing the work of UNAMA, which has been in place since March 2002, until at least this time next year. For Full Story, Go To: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=10220&Cr=afghanistan&Cr1=
UN Population Fund sends medical supplies to violence-wracked Haiti
Faced with reports of increased sexual violence and the looting of clinics and hospitals during the sporadic conflict in Haiti, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has sent medical supplies to help victims of the confrontations there. The UN Population Fund's (UNFPA) representative in Haiti, Hernando Clavijo, said its airlift of drugs and supplies for safe childbirth and for the treatment of rape and sexually transmitted infections arrived yesterday in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. For Full Story, Go To: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=10225&Cr=haiti&Cr1=
EXPOSURE TO HOMELESS PEOPLE INCREASES SYMPATHETIC PUBLIC ATTITUDES
Most people living in cities have seen or been approached by homeless people asking for food or money, leading many city governments to pass laws restricting or prohibiting panhandling. A Penn State-led study, however, has found that exposure to homeless people, even when vicarious or indirect, actually improves public attitudes toward homelessness. "Familiarity breeds sympathy rather than contempt," explains Barrett Lee, professor of sociology and demography. "Anecdotal reports suggest that exposure causes a backlash against homeless people, but despite the stigma associated with homelessness and the often unfavorable conditions surrounding public-homeless encounters, exposure usually makes the public more sympathetic." Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/6088
THE IMPACT OF TODAY'S LAND-GRANT INSTITUTIONS IS BROAD AND DEEP
Right from the start, Penn State was seen as an institution that had a duty to make life better for Pennsylvania's citizens. This mission was formalized when Penn State became, in 1862 with the signing of the Morrill Act, one of the nation's first land-grant institutions. On March 29 in Harrisburg, the University will celebrate its land-grant designation. We take this mission seriously, remaining deeply committed to fulfilling the Morrill Act signed into law by President Lincoln. In 1862, the United States was a nation that could barely feed itself. Today, it feeds much of the world, thanks to advances in agriculture pioneered at Penn State and other land-grant institutions nationwide. Communities, businesses, and local governments throughout Pennsylvania and across the country look to land-grant institutions for answers to vexing economic, social, and cultural challenges. Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/6172
The Long-term Challenges of Mood Stabilization in Bipolar Disorder
This report from the International Congress of Biological Psychiatry explores various approaches to mood stabilization throughout the course of the disorder. For the Article, Go To: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/471565
WHAT'S IN THE NEWS: A PLAGUE BY ANY OTHER NAME
Just as the Black Death ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages, AIDS is taking a terrifying toll on central Africa today. According to the latest edition of "What's in the News," a current events program produced for schoolchildren by Penn State Public Broadcasting, so similar are the effects of the two plagues that 14th century chroniclers might well have been describing the modern day tragedy. "The calamity had instilled such horror in the hearts of men and women that brother abandoned brother, uncles, sisters and wives left their dear ones to perish..." wrote Giovanni Boccaccio, of Florence, Italy, about the Black Death in 1349. This week, "What's in the News" takes a look at progress in the fight against AIDS and the challenges facing parts of Africa. Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/6117
BE PICKY WHEN SERVED LARGE PORTIONS
Whether it's snacks, sandwiches or full restaurant meals, recent experiments at Penn State have shown that we eat more when we're given more and that large portions may be contributing to the obesity epidemic. Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/6112
THE MEDICAL MINUTE: SOMETHING FISHY ABOUT SEAFOOD?
How about fish for dinner? When you travel to the beach, you probably go out for fresh seafood a few times while you're there. Fish is a good choice, right? After all, physicians and other health-care experts say we should eat less red meat and more fish. Fish is low in fat, and its fat is polyunsaturated, which is good for our cholesterol. Fish also has omega-3 fatty acids that help keep our arteries clean and can reduce the risk of heart disease. Some experts think we can cut our risk of heart disease in half by eating two fish dinners a week. It's a good source of protein, too. But you might question the consumption of seafood with reports from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about the dangers associated with eating fish. These seemingly contradictory recommendations can make it difficult to sort the risk from the benefit. Read the full story at http://live.psu.edu/story/6164
STRESS IN DISASTER RESPONDERS
Disaster occupations are stressful due to the type of work that is generally required. There are heavy work loads, long hours, and pressures to accomplish difficult tasks quickly. Additionally, there may be periods of low activity and little pressures which could be suddenly interrupted by a situation requiring intense concentration and physical exertion. The excitement and stimulation of large-scale disasters also leads to stress. Major stressors usually present on disaster jobs include: the working environment; time pressures; and the work load.
Extreme environments are common in disaster work. Physical discomfort for workers is also common. Noise can be a major stressor (Glass & Singer, 1972). There are times when the physical conditions make equipment operation difficult or impossible, leading to major frustrations. The presence of bystanders may be unwelcome. For example, well-meaning, but ill-equipped and/or untrained persons may try to help workers and end up becoming victims themselves.
Rescue workers face time-related stressors. Emergency medical protocols may specify strict time limits between an injury and the start of surgery. This usually includes the time to extract the victim, stabilize onsite, and transport to a hospital through the emergency room and into surgery. These present a major source of stress for rescue workers.
Another form of time-related stress occurs in large-scale disasters. These result from changes in daily or weekly work routines for extended periods of time. Even though non-standard working hours are expected by workers, they can become seriously upsetting. For example, Holt (1982) has shown that evening or night work can cause disturbances in daily body rhythms affecting sleep, body temperature, gastrointestinal function, and others. Disturbances can also occur in daily patterns of social living. These may lead to undesirable mood changes and interpersonal conflicts within the family.
Finally, work overload is a familiar thing to disaster workers. There are two types of work load: quantative and qualitative (Kahn, 1980). Quantitative work load is defined as the amount of work to be completed within the available time. Qualitative work load is the ease or difficulty of accomplishing the task. Due to urgency of task completion, both types of work overload are likely.
Responsibility overload is another form of stress which may be experienced by supervisory workers. They may feel overwhelmed because they may have several tasks which require simultaneous accomplishment. Some examples include: assessing damages and victim needs; mobilizing adequate resources; establishing a command post; coordinating the work of several types of units; assessing new hazards as they occur; and giving information to the media for communication to the public. Incident commanders report that setting up a command post nearby but removed a bit from the immediate disaster scene helps establish priorities among responsibilities and helps avoid excessive overload (Falder, 1982; Naysmith, 1982).
Most disaster workers realize that the potential emotional impact on them usually depends on the type of event. There are at least three event stressors that are relevant. They include: personal loss or injury, traumatic stimuli, and human error or mission failure.
Personal Loss or Injury
When people lose loved ones or meaningful things, they generally experience grief reactions. These may include depression or extreme sadness and despair. The extent of the reaction is related to the significance of the loss. Though disaster workers are not usually the primary victims, those who do lose family members, friends, or property are at high risk for stress reactions.
Injuries that lead to loss of function may generate psychological reactions similar to the loss of possessions. Workers injured during recovery work may be vulnerable to stress reactions, especially when the injury occurs in conjunction with other stressors.
Severe fatigue can also lead to temporary loss of function, and physical exhaustion seems to "come with the territory" in disaster work. Emergency situations often require high levels of sustained and strenuous physical activity. Sometimes these occur after long periods of inactivity, making preparation for them difficult. Long hours are characteristic of disaster work, and even workers who function effectively for extended periods on the job may suffer extreme exhaustion when the task is finished.
Traumatic Stimuli
Severe threats to basic beliefs about the meaning of life can generate stress. Painful deaths, gross violations of physical integrity, or the apparent injustice and capriciousness of life are examples of such traumatic stimuli. Others include contact with bodies, especially those in mutilated or unnatural conditions, and particularly tragic situations such as the deaths of children.
If workers are in extremely dangerous surroundings, especially for long periods, they risk later emotional reactions. In general, situations that are life threatening, or demonstrate the potential vulnerability of the worker, are likely to be traumatic.
Workers in prolonged and emotional contact with survivors who have been severely traumatized by disaster may experience the trauma vicariously. This is especially true when the worker identifies the survivor with a loved one, such as a son or daughter. Workers responsible for life-and-death decisions, for example in triage situations, are also subject to this type of pain. When workers must deny extensive medical care to nearly dead patients in favor of victims with a better prognosis, emotional problems can be anticipated.
Not all people react to traumatic events in the same way. Workers who deal with "guts and gore" on a daily basis are likely to have developed protective strategies through training and experience (Palmer, 1983). Reactions to traumatic stimuli are always individualized. That is they are interpreted through the worker's frame of mind and feelings at the time of the event. Even the most experienced worker will likely find some events difficult to deal with.
Mission Failure or Human Error
Disaster workers are highly motivated to perform competently and complete their missions successfully. These high expectations, when they cannot be met, may lead to beliefs and feelings about the disaster or the worker's role in the relief effort that cause emotional distress.
One of the attractions of disaster work is the personal satisfaction derived from saving lives, and many workers have a strong need for this type of reinforcement (Graham, 1981a, 1981b). When they become highly involved in a rescue effort that ends badly, workers may experience not only disappointment but major personal failure as well. Including feelings of unworthiness, even though no rational basis exists for this belief.
Frustrated expectations for success are also illustrated by the mission that requires prolonged expenditures of energy and attention, appears to be going well, but ends in disappointment. Related to this are deaths that occur inadvertently due to some action of the rescue personnel. While long-time disaster workers know that incidents of this nature may occur, they represent the antithesis of worker motivations and efforts.
Another major stressor is the rescue or relief effort that receives intense media coverage, as when a rescue is broadcast live over television. Workers may feel that only a perfect performance is acceptable and that no mistakes will be tolerated.
Finally, in manmade disasters, both victims and workers are often outraged that the event was allowed to occur, and this high degree of anger may interfere with the emotional recovery process. Mission failure or human error may generate a strong sense of powerlessness and helplessness.
Summary
Certain types of event characteristics, either together or separately, have the potential for creating emotional distress in disaster workers: personal loss or injury, traumatic stimuli, and mission failure or human error. When all three of these characteristics are present, the potential exists for particularly intense stress reactions. Such effects, while debilitating, represent very normal reactions to quite abnormal situations.
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References Falder, M. (December 9-11 1982). Report on the Kansas City Hyatt Regency Hotel Disaster. Emergency Management Conference, Indiana Civil Defense Council, Indianapolis.
Glass, C.C. and Singer, J.E. (1972). Urban Stress. New York: Academic Press.
Graham, N.K. (January 1981a). Done in, fed up, burned out: Too much attrition in EMS. Journal of Emergency Services 6: 219-239.
Graham,N.K. (February 1981b). Part 2: How to avoid a short career. Journal of Emergency Medical Services 6:42-48.
Holt, R.H. (1982). Occupational stress. In Goldberger, L. and Brenitz, S., eds. Handbook of Stress: Theoretical and Clinical Aspects. New York: The Free Press.
Naysmith, R. (December 9-11, 1982). Report on the Missassauga Hazardous Materials Emergency Emergency Management Conference, Indiana Civil Defense Council, Indianapolis.
Palmer, C.E. (1983). A note about a paramedic's strategies for dealing with death and dying. Journal of Occupational Psychology 56: 83-86.
To search for books on disasters and disaster mental
health topics, leaders, leadership, orgainizations,
crisis intervention, leaders and crises, and related
topics and purchase them online, go to the following url:
https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odochartaigh/searchbooks.html
RECOMMENDED READING
Post-Trauma Stress: A Personal Guide to Reduce the Long-Term Effects and Hidden Emotional Damage Caused by Violence and Disaster
by Frank Parkinson
Excerpted from Post-Trauma Stress : A Personal Guide to Reduce the Long-Term Effects and Hidden Emotional Damage Caused by Violence and Disaster by Frank Parkinson. Copyright © 2000. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
WHAT IS POST-TRAUMA STRESS? Post-trauma stress is the development of certain symptoms or reactions following an abnormal event. The event is abnormal in that it is life threatening or extremely disturbing, and can be anything from a minor accident to a major disaster. This includes incidents such as a divorce, riots, war, bereavement or any event that causes trauma and shock. This trauma disturbs our normal life beliefs and turns our world upside down, causing confusion, disbelief, feelings of vulnerability, a loss of meaning and purpose in life, and changes in self-image or self-esteem.
It would not be correct to assume that the symptoms are only found after the event, because they can arise earlier. Seeds of the symptoms of post-trauma stress lie not only in the nature of the event itself, but also in the lives of those who experience it.
Post-trauma stress can result from any experience that, for me, is not normal. Because it is not normal it can cause traumatic reactions. The experience should not be seen as an isolated event but rather as an ongoing situation. I bring myself-my character and personality and previous experiences-to the event. All of these, including the nature of the event, will determine how I react both at the time and later.
A man walking down a street in front of a group of apartments was hit on the head by a falling plant pot. This abnormal and unusual event shocked and traumatized the man. Later, he suffered from agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) and the fear that the same thing might happen again if he went out into the street.
Perhaps a trivial accident, it nevertheless caused emotional disturbances as well as physical pain, both at the time and later. We look at the characteristic symptoms of post-trauma stress in more detail in the next chapter.
Copyright © 2000 Fisher Books. All rights reserved.
Book Description
Surviving catastrophic disasters; air, auto or train crashes; rape; war and other violent acts is only the beginning. Disasters leave hidden damage. anxiety, fear and distress. with long-term effects that can last years. Survivors are not the only ones touched by trauma. family, friends and co-workers are often victims of post-traumatic stress.
Comprehensive and thorough, Post-Trauma Stress offers helpful advice and practical information from professionals for prevention of and recovery from post-traumatic stress.
Surviving catastrophic disasters, armed robbery, wars, air and train crashes, auto accidents, rape, riots and other incredible violent acts is only the beginning. Disasters inevitably leave hidden damage. anxiety, fear and distress. with long-term effects that can last years.
Post-Trauma Stress is comprehensive and thorough. Offering helpful advice and practical information for the prevention and recovery from post-trauma stress. Discusses the debriefing process for individuals and groups following trauma and how people trained in crisis intervention are essential in the healing process. Describes Critical Incident Debriefing, the most successful method used by professionals today for assisting survivors of disasters and other crisis situations. A personal guide for prevention and recovery from post-traumatic stress.
Additional Readings at:
Also try looking here for September 11, 2001: A Simple Account for Children.
Videos on Terrorism
Other videos about terrorism
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Contact your local Mental Health Center or
check the yellow pages for counselors, psychologists,
therapists, and other Mental health Professionals in
your area for further information.
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Copyrighted and published by the Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Institute. No part of this document may be reproduced without written consent.The Rocky Mountain Region Disaster Mental Health Newsletter is published online weekly by:
Rocky Mountain Region
Disaster Mental Health Institute, Inc.
Box 786
Laramie, WY 82073-0786
Newsletter Online: https://www.angelfire.com/biz3/news
Institute Home Page: https://www.angelfire.com/biz/odoc/rocky.html
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