Disasters and emergencies are powerful and upsetting incidents that intrude into daily life.
Many people have strong emotional or physical reactions following a disaster or emergency, and this is quite normal. For most, these reactions subside over a few days or weeks. These people are not experiencing mental health problems, but may be worried about practical issues, or require simple guidance on topics like talking with children about the disaster, or supporting friends and family members who have been affected by the disaster. Others may have quite significant distress which will respond to support, reassurance and problem solving.
For some, the symptoms may last longer and be more severe. This may be due to several factors such as the nature of the traumatic event, the level of available support, previous and current life stress, personality, and coping resources. These people might need additional support to help them cope. A small minority of people are at risk of developing significant mental health conditions and will require specialised mental health care.