This chapter discusses the different psychological responses people have to natural disasters, including those who quickly recover, those who experience high distress, those who experience delayed distress, and those who gradually return to normal. It explores factors that influence resilience, such as minimal exposure, male sex, older age, higher income and education, freedom from secondary stress, and prior good mental health.
Two disasters, two years apart - the ongoing mental health impact on survivors and what the research can tell us about the different ways people respond to these life-changing events.