Earthquakes can have devastating effects on people’s physical and mental health. Some of the common psychological effects after surviving a major earthquake are:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is a condition that involves intense fear, flashbacks, nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the traumatic event. (Plos One Journal)
• Anxiety and panic attacks, which are feelings of nervousness, worry, or dread that can interfere with daily functioning and cause physical symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or trembling.(Psychology today)
• Depression, which is a mood disorder that causes persistent sadness, loss of interest, hopelessness, and low self-esteem. (Jouranls.plos.org)
• Grief and bereavement, which are natural responses to losing loved ones or belongings in the disaster.
• Resilience and post-traumatic growth, which are positive outcomes that involve coping well with adversity, finding meaning in life, and developing new skills or strengths. (Scientific American)

one study that reviewed 34 articles on PTSD among earthquake survivors found that the combined incidence of PTSD after earthquakes was 23.66 %. This means that about one in four survivors may develop PTSD after an earthquake. The study also found that the incidence of PTSD was higher among survivors who were diagnosed at not more than 9 months after earthquake (28.76 %) than those who were diagnosed at over nine months after earthquake (19.48 %). This suggests that some survivors may recover from PTSD over time, while others may have chronic symptoms.

One other study found that PTSD can alter the brain structure of earthquake survivors, causing changes in cortical thickness and volume. Another study found that PTSD can be influenced by coping strategies, such as avoidance, self-blame or positive reframing. Some coping strategies may worsen PTSD symptoms, while others may help reduce them.

As for other psychological effects, some studies have reported that depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and phobias are also common among earthquake survivors. These effects may co-occur with PTSD or independently.

Prevention

There are different ways to prevent or treat psychological effects of earthquakes. Some of them are:

• Early assessment and intervention: This involves identifying survivors who are at risk of developing psychological problems and providing them with appropriate support and treatment.
• Self-care: This involves taking care of your physical, mental and emotional health by eating well, sleeping enough, exercising, practicing mindfulness and using healthy coping strategies.
• Social support: This involves seeking help from family, friends, community or professional sources who can offer emotional, practical or informational assistance.
• Psychotherapy: This involves talking to a trained therapist who can help you process your trauma, reduce your symptoms and improve your functioning. There are different types of psychotherapy that can be effective for earthquake survivors, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) or group therapy.

there is a role for medication in some cases. Medication can help reduce some of the symptoms of psychological effects of earthquakes, such as anxiety, depression or insomnia. However, medication alone is not enough to treat the underlying trauma and its impact on your life. Medication should be used in combination with psychotherapy or other forms of support. Also, medication should be prescribed by a qualified doctor who can monitor your dosage and side effects.

Taking Action

Some of the measures that people can use to combat the effects of psychological trauma after an earthquake are:

• Seeking professional help from mental health experts who can provide counseling, therapy, medication, or other interventions.
• Reaching out to family, friends, community members, or support groups who can offer emotional support, practical assistance, or companionship
• Engaging in self-care activities such as eating well, sleeping enough, exercising regularly, relaxing, meditating, or doing hobbies that bring joy
• Participating in recovery efforts such as volunteering for relief work , donating money or goods , or rebuilding homes or infrastructure.
• Seeking information from reliable sources about the earthquake , its aftermath , and available resources.

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