MAN MADE DISASTERS: IMPACT ON SURVIVORS AND THE PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS AVAILABLE IN THE INVENTORY OF A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
Wing Commander Dr. Muhammad Sami Bilal*, Dr. Beenish Sami, Dr. Fatima Taufeeq
ABSTRACT
‘Disasters, whether natural or manmade, affect lives and property, devastating communities through a chain of catastrophic sequences affecting social and economic developments.’ (Cohen, 2002) Survivors, as well as care providers, are at risk from suffering from traumatic effects of disasters. (Bilal and Rana 2007). Disasters are complex events that challenge the coping abilities of individuals and communities. (Alexander 2005). The authors have considered the ongoing geographical circumstances where the infliction of this form of terrorism had attained an almost endemic form. This article reviews the likely impact of such events especially the man made part of disasters focusing particularly on suicide bombing and factors that compromise the ability of survivors to cope with that impact. Pakistan has been on the forefront of fighting terrorism and as a paradigm been facing some worst forms of terrorism and suicide bombings throughout the country. It becomes pertinent to carry out research in the part of world that is facing, fighting and managing the aftershocks of these terrorist critical incidents. Pakistan armed forces along with the civilian armed forces have been at war with this menace of terrorist for years and lost almost over 70,000 individuals. Although the armed forces are on the verge of defeating and uprooting terrorism in various military operations at the grass root levels in the country, yet there still exits a nexus of the old and newly arising terrorism outfits that needs to be obliterated fully. This article attempts to delineate the impact of terrorist critical incidents on the survivors and the relevant psychosocial interventions available to be engaged. The principles of early intervention are also considered in the later part. Conclusion: The mental health response to disaster is of great importance and it should be guided by evidence based findings and intervention principles.
Keywords: Suicide bombing, PTSD, ASD, EMDR, Manmade disasters, terrorism.
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