On February 6, 2023, a catastrophic earthquake changed the lives of millions of people in Turkey and Syria. This earthquake resulted in a death toll of more than 50,000 people, while leaving millions more people homeless. This 7.8 magnitude earthquake will not only lead to years of rebuilding, but also mental health problems for those who survived. Mental health issues are prevalent all around the world. In America, nearly 20% of all adults suffer some form of mental illness with 10 million of them suffering severe mental illness. When someone experiences trauma, they become more vulnerable to developing mental illnesses, making the issue even more prevalent A study on the 2010 Canterbury earthquake in New Zealand found that there was an association between increased rates of disorder and increased rates of exposure to trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety levels, nicotine addiction, and overall disorders all increased for survivors after the earthquake, and they could last for up to seven years after the earthquake. The severity of the illness also results from many factors. For example, people who live in poorer regions of a city are more likely to have trauma because the poorer infrastructure leads to more destruction. This means that there are more people in the area who are suffering and dying, contributing to that trauma. This is especially true in many regions in Turkey and Syria, where they do not have the buildings like Japan that are designed to withstand strong earthquakes as a result of all the time and money spent to ensure their buildings can be used again after an earthquake.
Among the victims of the earthquake, children are especially vulnerable to trauma. They can experience long term anxiety, trouble sleeping, and changes in behavior or attitude, which impacts their physical growth and development. Other signs of mental trauma include stomach aches, nightmares, nausea, trouble concentrating and more. While the symptoms may not linger, an incident or conversation that reminds them of the trauma can easily trigger the symptoms again.
To better understand the impact of trauma on a person, one must look at how it affects the brain. The brain consists of many regions, three which are significantly impacted by trauma. First, the amygdala, which plays a role in emotions like fear. If it senses an external stress factor in the surroundings, it perceives it as a threat and arouses the emotion of fear. Those with PTSD have increased activity in their amygdala, leading to constant stress and anxiety. Second, the hippocampus is used for storing and retrieving memories in the brain. They can vividly remember these traumatic experiences, causing fear and stress even if they are in a safe environment. Third, the prefrontal cortex is in charge of regulating emotions, and it is forced to work overtime to counteract the negative emotions coming from the amygdala, resulting in those with trauma struggling to control their emotions.
Overall, people who were directly affected by the earthquake have an increased risk of developing mental illness. However, those who are reading about the earthquake on mainstream media may also experience feeling overwhelmed or useless. For these cases, the best solution is to step away from the internet, reflect on inner emotions, and research ways to help those affected by the earthquake. While all this may seem depressing, the bright side is that PTSD can lead to growth and development within people. They become more resilient, form new relationships and perspectives along the way, which would accompany them for the rest of their lives.
Sources:
Beaglehole B;Boden JM;Bell C;Mulder RT;Dhakal B;Horwood LJ; “The Long-Term Impacts of the Canterbury Earthquakes on the Mental Health of the Christchurch Health and Development Study Cohort.” The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2022, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36448198/.
“Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria: What Is MSF Doing?” Doctors Without Borders - USA, 6 Feb. 2023, https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/msf-responds-overwhelming-medical-needs-following-earthquakes-turkey-and-syria.
Lewis, Tanya. “Survivors of Deadly Earthquakes Must Deal with Lasting Trauma.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 17 Feb. 2023, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/survivors-of-deadly-earthquakes-must-deal-with-lasting-trauma/.
Osman, Nadda. “Turkey-Syria Earthquake: The Mental Health Impact of Natural Disaster.” Middle East Eye, 28 Feb. 2023, https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/turkey-syria-earthquake-mental-health-impact.
Person, and Timour Azhari Humeyra Pamuk. “After Turkey’s Earthquake, a Grave Mental Health Toll Looms.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 27 Feb. 2023, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/after-turkeys-earthquake-grave-mental-health-toll-looms-2023-02-27/.
Written by Harriet Lai
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