Psychological Phases of Disaster Response

Psychological Phases of Disaster Response
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Psychological Phases of Disaster Response
A disaster refers to a human-made hazard or natural tragedy that adversely affects people, the environment, or society. Some natural disasters, such as hurricanes, lead to the death of individuals and the destruction of properties worth millions of dollars. In particular, disasters can be predictable, which gives people enough time to buy emergency supplies or vacate vulnerable areas. However, others, such as tsunamis and earthquakes, occur without notice and can cause deaths of many individuals and destruction of properties due to individuals’ unpreparedness. The paper focuses on the five primary psychological phases of disaster responses, namely the pre-disaster, the hero, the honeymoon, the disillusionment, and the reconstruction phases. Additionally, it will depict how these phases of disaster affect the community and individuals and the role of cultural competence in the honeymoon stage of the disaster response.
Explanation of Psychological Phases of Disaster Responses
The pre-disaster phase causes fear and uncertainty depending on the time remaining for a particular calamity to occur. Disasters that occur without warning cause the feeling of vulnerability to the affected communities and might lead to the lack of control to protect oneself, friends, and families. However, the community reactions depend on the type of disaster. Disasters that occur without warning cause the feeling of insecurity, vulnerability, and fears (Ng & Straussman, 2012). On the contrary, predictable disasters, such as hurricanes, can lead to self-blame or guilt if the community or individuals involved did not take warnings seriously. The pre-disaster phase might take minutes, hours, or months (SAMHSA, 2020). Intense emotional reactions can also characterize the pre-disaster phase. Individuals’ reactions depend on the type and magnitude of the disaster expected to occur. For instance, gradual, low-threat disasters have different psychological impacts compared to rapid and dangerous disasters. People’s reactions can be shock or overt panic. Initial disbelief and confusion are followed by family protection and self-preservation. In most cases, individuals and communities rescue their properties and save lives depending on the remaining time before the disaster occurs.
The hero phase of disaster response has a low productivity level and a high activity level. A sense of altruism is present, and the majority of community members and emergency responders exhibit adrenaline-induced behavior to rescue individuals affected by the disaster (Ng & Straussman, 2012). For instance, emergency responders begin rescue and search missions to assist the disaster victims and distribute appropriate resources on the site. The primary goal of the heroic phase is to minimize the damage of properties and save people’s lives. During this phase, there is the impairment of the risk assessment. The heroic phase passes faster into the next stage, which is the honeymoon. There is a shift of emotion in the honeymoon phase. Since the disaster is av...