The Role of Psychological First Aid in Disaster Recovery and Emotional Resilience
Posted by Improving Lives Counseling Services, Inc. | Mental Health
Tornadoes, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, school shootings, wars, and even the death of a loved one can cause significant trauma. Unfortunately, many people fail to recognize or fully understand the extent of the psychological distress these events can trigger. While some may experience symptoms but deny the presence of trauma, believing the symptoms will fade over time, others refuse to acknowledge any symptoms or the possibility of trauma altogether.
Research indicates that individuals who do not receive Psychological First Aid (PFA) following a traumatic event are more vulnerable to flashbacks and long-term psychological harm. At Improving Lives Counseling Services, our team of counselors, therapists, and clinicians is trained and certified in a wide range of mental health specialties, including Psychological First Aid, to provide the necessary support for recovery.
WHAT IS PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
“Psychological First Aid (PFA) is a supportive “evidence-informed” approach founded to help people in the immediate aftermath of a crisis or traumatic event. The primary aim is to “reduce initial distress, foster short – and long-term coping mechanisms, and promote resilience.” (AI)
Psychological First Aid is built around core actions, or components and principles:
- Ensure Safety
- Protect individuals from physical and emotional harm.
- Address immediate needs, such as shelter, food, water, or medical care.
- Foster a calm and supportive environment.
- Provide Comfort and Stabilization
- Offer emotional support and help individuals regain a sense of control if overwhelmed.
- Use calming techniques to ease acute distress.
- Connect to Social Supports
- Reunite individuals with family, friends, or community networks.
- Promote reliance on positive personal relationships.
- Offer Practical Assistance
- Assist in resolving immediate challenges, such as transportation or accessing services.
- Share accurate and relevant information about available resources.
- Facilitate Coping and Link to Resources
- Encourage adaptive coping techniques, like deep breathing, focusing on strengths, or maintaining routines.
- Refer individuals to professional mental health services when necessary.
WHY PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
Worldwide, people often offer “thoughts and prayers” following natural disasters or traumatic events. They celebrate the number of lives saved through press conferences and survivor interviews. However, scrolling through the internet reveals that, for many, “thoughts and prayers” feel overused and insufficient. Survivors are left asking questions like, “Why me? What now? Where do I go? Where can I get help?” Children wonder, “where will I live, and who is going to take care of me?” – as responders grapple with thoughts of whether they could have done more. Losing a home and everything in it is devastating. Losing a home along with a school, church, local bank, post office, strip mall, and place of employment is even more so.
Whether it is a five-year-old being escorted from a classroom with their hands in the air, an adolescent stepping over an injured classmate, a father wandering a street unable to recognize which burned-out home is his, friends hiding in back rooms or under tables at a favorite restaurant, or a victim of interpersonal violence, their mental and neurological health is profoundly affected, and their brain is impacted.
- Survivors of wildfires. Exposure to wildfire smoke can negatively impact brain health by triggering inflammation. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the smoke can cross the blood-brain barrier, disrupting brain chemistry, impairing cognitive function, and increasing the risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and other long-term neurological conditions.
- Survivors of tornadoes. Tornadoes, while not causing direct physical harm to the brain, can lead to significant psychological trauma. The intense fear and stress experienced during and after a tornado often result in conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, with lasting effects on mental health.
- Survivors and witnesses of mass shootings often endure particularly severe psychological consequences. Research has documented higher rates of major depression, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and other mental health challenges among those affected. Furthermore, greater exposure to the event is frequently associated with more severe symptoms, highlighting the profound emotional toll these incidents inflict.
- After experiencing sexual abuse, the amygdala — a small, almond-shaped structure deep within the brain, becomes overstimulated. It links the trauma to specific emotions. Stress hormones released by the sympathetic nervous system damage cells in the hippocampus, impairing its ability to process memories and distinguish that the trauma is a past event, no longer posing a threat. Research indicates that sexual trauma may affect the brain’s capacity to perceive and process sensations.
Psychological First Aid (PFA) can benefit anyone exposed to a traumatic or emergency event, including children, adolescents, adults, elders, families, communities, responders, and support service providers. A Florida State University national study of firefighters revealed that nearly 50% experienced suicidal thoughts after working fires where lives and property were lost. Similarly, a survey of EMTs and paramedics in the U.S. found that 37% had contemplated suicide during certain situations.
Amid a national disaster or traumatic event, survivors and responders may lose sight of their sense of self. Psychological nourishment provides the emotional and mental sustenance necessary for overall well-being and resilience. Just as the body requires physical nourishment through food, the mind and emotions need psychological support to thrive.
“Psychological First Aid (PFA) is designed for delivery in diverse settings. Trained, certified PFA workers may be called upon to provide service in general population shelters, special needs shelters, field hospitals, medical triage areas, acute care facilities, emergency departments, staging areas, respite centers for first responders or other relief workers, emergency operations centers, feeding locations, disaster assistance service centers, family reception and assistance centers, homes, businesses, churches, community settings, and as crisis line / phone bank operators.”
WHO CAN DELIVER PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
“The American Journal of Psychiatry states that “shortly after a stressful event, it is important that those affected be provided empathic, practical psychological support.” Trained and certified mental health professionals, healthcare providers, first responders, disaster relief and humanitarian aid workers, school counselors, faith-based leaders, and trained crisis volunteers can deliver Psychological First Aid (PFA).
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has adapted PFA strategies and core principles to make them developmentally and age-appropriate, ensuring effective preparation for and response to disasters or violent events involving children, adolescents, and teens.
WHEN THERE IS NO PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID
Psychological First Aid (PFA), like any other form of first aid, is not a universal cure. However, research and statistics indicate that survivors and responders who do not receive, or who decline PFA, are more likely to experience various mental health and physical challenges. These include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse, chronic fatigue, immune disorders, respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, suicidality, promiscuity, and criminal behavior.
SUMMARY
Every county, province, city, state, and community has experienced a natural disaster or traumatic event. Survivors of war, political uprisings, famine, genocides, pandemics, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, tsunamis, school shootings, mass shootings, child abuse, senior abuse, and interpersonal violence need “immediate” psychological nourishment.
The trained and certified diverse counselors, therapists, and clinicians at Improving Lives Counseling Services provide Psychological First Aid to meet this critical need. They possess the familiarity, deep connection, and cultural understanding necessary to provide the psychological nourishment survivors and responders require. Our team is available to assist children, adolescents, adults, and seniors, in individual, couples, family, and group sessions, in-person, online, or onsite in your community. Call us to learn more.
