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Distress and related emotions are common when people experience a life-threatening situation. Read on to learn more about 5 mental health considerations during emergencies.

Emotional Distress

Did you know that most people affected by emergencies will likely experience emotional distress? While some do get better with time, there are instances where it can lead to severe emotional trauma, which requires access to mental health interventions. Emergencies can induce various stressful reactions, such as sleep deprivation and substance use, to cope with a traumatic experience.

Triggers

If you have been a victim of a violent ordeal or witnessed fatalities during an emergency, you might be vulnerable to extremely negative reactions if you find yourself in a similar situation. If you have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or chronic anxiety, you might notice that observing a life-threatening incident could aggravate your existing symptoms. In emergencies, responders should consider triggers that lead to a victim being unable to react accordingly to danger and avoid it when a distressing situation occurs without warning.

Pre-Existing Mental Health Concerns

Did you know that if you have pre-existing mental health concerns, you are most likely vulnerable during life-threatening emergencies? Moreover, these may be worsened depending on the severity of the situation you are experiencing. Responders need to identify your mental health needs when exposed to a crisis so you may be provided appropriate mental healthcare services.

Recovery

Life-threatening emergencies can cause severe stress, which can have an impact on recovering from the physical injuries sustained and emotional trauma afterwards. As a result, returning to everyday life can be challenging if you have been a crisis victim. Receiving adequate care and support can help ease the stress and provide practical ways to maintain full recovery without it being detrimental to your mental state.

Pro-Longed Psychological Impact

Being vulnerable in times of disasters and the potentially devastating effects that can impact your life afterwards is normal. If you have been a victim of a life-threatening emergency such as a fire, violent crime or traumatic accident, you might struggle with psychological drawbacks leading to anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and post-traumatic stress disorder. Extreme mental and physical changes might influence how you live your everyday life.

The physical and mental trauma associated with life-threatening emergencies can be long-lasting. It can be easier to handle psychological effects linked with trauma. Access to the proper support channels and response units that understand what should be considered when attending to victims at the scene can help. Your FREE-to-use iER App connects you with over 17, 500 medical and non-medical emergency responders that prioritise improved mental health.