Since the earthquake of November (2019), which shook our whole country, caused many victims and damages, we have all been afraid of such a natural tragedy.
Last night, when another earthquake hit, thankfully not as scary, prolonged and most importantly, without loss of life and damage, most of us were scared and had anxiety episodes. Someone remained sleepless, someone else slept with the thought that maybe it was a premonition, etc.
In fact, all these thoughts and feelings are more understandable, especially when we have experienced a tragic event. According to studies, many people can also have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) from such experiences, starting from anxiety and continuing to a major fear, which in many cases can turn into a phobia.
When anxiety is a direct result of such a traumatic experience, it can often cause hyper-vigilance, social isolation, or a return to the intense fear that was felt in the November 2019 period.
Bradley University Peoria, Illinois psychologist and professional Molly Ansari points out that people who have not received proper help or treatment after an episode such as an earthquake experience can be more affected by PTSD and experience a lot of anxiety. and bad memories from the previous situation.
Earthquakes, without question, fall into the category of traumatic events, and research confirms that they can trigger anxiety episodes or be factors that create PTSD. According to a study of the Aceh earthquake in Indonesia in 2016, there was a large increase in symptoms related to PTSD, depression and anxiety.
Of course, it is not easy to predict how the anxiety caused by the earthquake affects different individuals, however, you should understand that it is more than normal and if you notice that you have signs such as:
Uncontrollable anxiety
Frequently recall episodes from the earthquake
Thoughts that another even stronger earthquake may occur in the future
Difficulty sleeping
Think the ground is shaking even when it's not
You should not think that it is something incurable, or that you simply do not know how to overcome it. Specialized help would be a very good idea, so don't hesitate to get it.
