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Psychology Beyond Borders

An international nonprofit organization committed to evidence-informed psychosocial initiatives, research, education and policy in areas impacted by disaster, terrorism and armed conflict. Our overarching goals are to enhance knowledge and build collaborative global networks to alleviate human suffering. 

 
MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSES TO DISASTER

2010 has so far born witness to numerous monumental natural disasters and almost forty raging armed conflicts.
 
From the beautiful mountainsides of Haiti, to the coastal areas of Chile, to the mountains of China and Turkey, to the flooded streets of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil …. natural disasters have left hundreds of thousands dead or injured and millions more displaced, many experiencing psychological "aftershocks." Equally devastating, armed conflict continues to disrupt lives, communities and countries - from the urban streets of Bangkok, to the mountains of rural Afghanistan, the jungles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the suburbs of Baghdad.... many more hundreds of thousands are affected by humans fighting each other -- and suffer the consequences of violent conflict -- residents live in terror, flee their homes and their communities, lose livelihoods, loved ones and ways of life.

In the immediate aftermath of these kinds of events, focus is necessarily on rescue efforts, on the provision of food and water and temporary shelter, and the treatment of physical wounds. But the psychological impacts on survivors, and those related to them, are equally important. For some survivors, these psychosocial effects last long after the news cameras and international aid organizations move on. 

We know from past disasters around the world that distress, anxiety, grief, even terror, are normal responses to such an abnormal event. We know too, that there is no universal response to this kind of trauma, and there is no universal “treatment.” We do know that in time, most people adapt and are able to build new normal lives. Some, however, do face long-term challenges.
 
To ensure that survivors have the best possible chance to adjust to the consequences of such a disaster, past large-scale traumatic events provide key lessons about how to manage the psychological and social impacts of this Haitian earthquake: 
  • In the immediate aftermath of such a tragic event, social support and basic psychological “first aid” is an effective way to support people responding to the challenges posed by their experience of this disaster. Psychology Beyond Borders supports the guidelines for mental health response to disasters developed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), a consortium of international humanitarian organizations including the United Nations. These recommended strategies are informed by evidence of what works versus what does not work in the immediate provision of psychosocial assistance to those in need. Click here to download a copy of the IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings.
  • For assisting individuals in the immediate aftermath of disaster, Psychology Beyond Borders also supports the Psychological First Aid Guidelines developed by the U.S. National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Click here for more information. 
  • For those people who do experience sustained psychological distress, research shows (for example in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks) that the wrong response to a disaster by well-meaning helpers can actually add to long-term suffering. It is therefore crucial that all “help” is based on the best possible evidence and that mental health workers are trained and experienced in those evidence-informed methods.
  • The need for contributing to the body of evidence of what works and what does not work in helping communities, survivors and others affected by disaster is critical, otherwise further harm can be enacted. Contributing to the body of evidence through facilitating the development, implementation and evaluation of psychosocial practices is the mission of Psychology Beyond Borders. 
  • The need for long term strategic planning is essential to augment the “help” provided in the short term. Focusing on well-planned, evidence-informed (and evidence-building), long-term psychosocial practices that build local community capacity is also the mission of Psychology Beyond Borders.
Online resources and additional information

Many organizations maintain online information resource centers for the public and psychosocial aid workers. Some specific websites that provide information about evidence-based and evidence-informed mental health practice include the following: