What are the Effects of the Earthquake on Child Psychology and Ways of Coping?

Destructive natural disasters such as earthquakes have a significant impact on children's mental health. Children may experience intense emotional changes during and after an earthquake.

Emotional changes can affect a child's mental health and lead to psychological problems. Children's reactions to the disaster may vary depending on environmental factors, their age and the severity of the event. If the psychological problems experienced after the earthquake are not overcome, long-term traumas may occur.

How Earthquakes Affect Children

Earthquake is a natural phenomenon that occurs as a result of sudden tremors in the earth's crust and causes great damage in the region where it occurs. Especially the physical and psychological health of children living in earthquake zones can be directly affected. During an earthquake, children can be injured, maimed and face serious dangers such as death. Therefore, natural disasters are traumatic and stressful events for children. Psychologically, they are under the influence of emotions such as anger, anxiety, fear and stress. Increased stress leads to eating disorders, sleep problems and behavioral changes.

The psychological impact of an earthquake is different for children of all ages. Children who have not yet completed their development do not fully understand what an earthquake is, so the emotions they experience vary. Therefore, they may imitate their parents during an earthquake. Older children, on the other hand, may be under intense stress as they are aware of the losses caused by the earthquake and some changes in their behavior can be observed. Changes in mood can cause serious trauma if they progress. Some children need psychological support to overcome this situation.

Suggestion Article:How to Approach Children After an Earthquake

What are the Psychological Effects of Depression on Children?

• Aggressive behavior, restlessness
• Seclusion, withdrawal, avoidance of talking
• Do not show underage behavior
• Problems with focusing
• Don't be afraid to be alone
• Problems sleeping, wetting your pants
• Excessive activity or the desire to do nothing
• Unexplained head, stomach and abdominal pain

Earthquakes have stressful and traumatic effects on children. Therefore, conscious and correct steps should be taken to protect the psychological health of children after a disaster. The greater the magnitude of the earthquake, the more the child will be affected. Even if the child is not directly affected, he/she may be affected by the reactions of his/her family or those around him/her. They are worried about the recurrence of the disaster. They become sensitive to sudden noises and want to keep their family close to them. They may exhibit erratic behavior.

These effects will not be seen in all children, and the severity and duration of the effects may vary. While some children are unaffected by the earthquake, others may suffer from long-term psychological trauma. For this reason, it is necessary to provide appropriate support for the psychological health of children after the earthquake.

How to Cope with the Effects of Depression on Child Psychology

1. Create a safe environment: In order for children to return to their old routines, an environment where they feel safe must first be created.

2. Let them talk about their feelings: Letting children talk about their feelings after the earthquake will help them relax. Avoid asking leading questions about how they felt after the disaster.

3. Returning to daily routines: After a difficult period, children need to be supported to resume daily activities such as playing, studying, going to school, etc.

4. Providing information about the work: Informing children about the field work carried out after the earthquake can increase their self-confidence.

5. Provide professional support: Children may experience traumatic effects after an earthquake due to increased anxiety and stress. Therefore, seeking psychological support will help maintain emotional health. Top of the Form

In order to overcome some of the changes in children's psychology after an earthquake, developmentally appropriate activities should be carried out. Preparing informative content about the earthquake, taking into account their concerns and fears, will make them more aware of this issue. In order to reduce the psychological stress experienced by children after the earthquake, normalization should be achieved as soon as possible. Otherwise, disruptions in social order will occur.

To learn more about the effects of an earthquake on children's mental health, please visit our How to Approach Children After an Earthquake.