A Study on the Post-Traumatic Effects of an Earthquake

A Qualitative Research Proposal

Presented to the Faculty of the Senior High School

Nazareth School of National University

By

Sarmiento, Aldrin James E.

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the

Grade Twelve Practical Research 1

STEM 2008

March 2022
 Abstract

The Study on the Post-Traumatic Effects of an Earthquake intends to research how people can act

towards their trauma. This research wants to find even more cures, treatments, or ways to refrain from

traumatic experiences towards the earthquake. This study dives deep into the symptoms, changes in

lifestyle, and psychological effects on welfare and identifies coping mechanisms from people suffering

from post-traumatic stress triggered by distressing experiences with earthquakes.

The research aims to give more information about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),

identify most of its effects, and provide possible solutions that can prevent or cure the said disorder. The

paper serves as a review of related literature for future studies centered around PTSD. The study focuses

mainly on PTSD as a Psychological Disorder and its symptoms and effects. The contents of the research

paper show excerpts from previous studies regarding the disorder since the beginning of time, past

journals and research regarding the topic, and data gathered from the interviews from respondents and

experts. The researcher also discussed the changes in lifestyle that PTSD brings to people who are

affected by it.

Overall, the primary purpose of this research is to identify PTSD as a severe mental condition,

and the researcher gives attention to it. Some people struggle with this condition, and this research may

help add information or make past studies a vital review of related literature. PTSD is a psychological

disorder that can lie dormant in a person until it gets triggered. Learning how to assist people who get

initiated is vital to promote research in the future.

 Table of Contents

Introduction ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

History of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder--------------------------------------------------------- 5

Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder------------------------------------------------------ 6

Evidence-Based Assessment and Treatment–------------------------------------------------------- 7

Table 1—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8

Change of Lifestyle due to PTSD—----------–------------------------------------------------------- 9

PTSD as a Psychological Disorder—----------–----------------------------------------------------- 9

Methodology ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Research Design --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Research Setting and Participants -------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

Research Instruments ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12

Procedure ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13

Data Analysis-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

Results ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16

Discussions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

Conclusion and Recommendations -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24

Summary of Findings ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24

Recommendations -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25

References --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26
 I. Introduction

A. Background

Disasters such as earthquakes are expected to happen in the Philippines because it is

located along the Pacific Ring of Fire. While earthquakes can significantly damage properties and

establishments, they can also damage one’s physical and mental health. Disasters are traumatic

events that may result in various psychological and physical health consequences (Neria, 2008).

Significant earthquakes give rise to long-term consequences on mental health (Kvestad,

2019). If left untreated, PTSD may continue for years, resulting in severe functional and

emotional impairments and negative consequences for both the sufferer and society (Stein, 2003).

The researcher systematized primary studies published in 2000–2013 on the

macroeconomic impact of natural disasters by providing OLS and generalized ordered probit

meta-analysis for 1858 and 1991 regressions, respectively. The researcher investigated how the

reported results in the primary studies are influenced by the practical design, the estimation

technique, or publication bias. The researcher analyzed prior studies on direct disaster costs and

indirect costs separately. According to the meta-analysis, disasters on average have a negative

impact in terms of direct costs and an insignificant effect in terms of indirect costs.
1.1. History of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Based on Co-Occurring Stress Disorders: Family Program (2008), PTSD is an anxiety

disorder that can occur when a person encounters a traumatic event such as military experience,

sexual or physical abuse, serious accidents, and natural calamities such as earthquakes, typhoons,

or fire. The more severe and significant the number of traumatic events confronted, the more

likely for someone to develop this disorder. The research conducted by the said source indicates

that 7 to 12 percent of people develop post-traumatic stress disorder at some point in their lives,

with women more likely than men to experience it.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has perhaps existed as long as humanity has

experienced trauma. It was finally recognized as a diagnosable condition in 1980 when the

American Psychological Association included it in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for

mental health practitioners.

Despite the length of time it took for medical practitioners to recognize the condition

formally, PTSD has been seen and witnessed throughout history. As a result of different types of

trauma, PTSD has been known as a reaction to mental problems and has been known by several

explanations throughout history.

The defining characteristic of a traumatic event is its capacity to provoke fear,

helplessness, or horror in response to the threat of injury or death (American Psychiatric

Association, 1994). Stephen Crane stated that early descriptive accounts of stress-related

disorders are often linked to the history of warfare. The flashbacks of the events during World

War I, and their resulting psychological consequences, led to the formulation of the concept of

“shell shock,” initially thought to be a consequence of exposure to intense artillery. Based on

Kral V.A., 1951, subsequently, clinicians realized that the symptoms were due to the stress of the

combat experience. The advent of World War II reawakened it. As previously happened, soldiers

who have been chronically exposed to combat-experienced a syndrome characterized by anxiety,

intense autonomic arousal, reliving, and sensitivity to stimuli reminiscent of the original trauma.
This syndrome was given various names: traumatic war neurosis, combat fatigue, battle stress,

and gross stress reaction. When the war drew to its end, another type of stress was discovered: the

experience of death camp survivors.

Andreansen (2010) imparted that at present, the existence of a valid syndrome occurring

as a consequence of severe stress cannot be questioned. The diagnosis of PTSD fills an important

niche in psychiatric nosology. But there are also still many ambiguities that must be resolved and

gray areas that must be clarified. These include the interplay between physical and psychological

components, the perils of over-diagnosing versus under-diagnosing, and the complex interaction

between the severity and duration of the stressor and the ego strength and coping mechanisms of

the individual who is stressed.

Another history from which PTSD began, also mentioned that it can be found from the

tort of the battle of Marathon by Herodotus dated in the 50th Century of Ancient Greece. The

trauma, more popularly known before as flashback-like dreams, was documented by Hippocrates

and Lucretius in the poem De Rerum Natura, which was written in 50 BC.

1.2. Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (n.d), Post Traumatic

Stress Disorder (PTSD) is determined after a person has symptoms for a month or more after a

traumatic event. It applies to adults, teenagers, and children older than six years old. Yet signs

may not manifest until several months or years later.

Journal of Clinical Medicine stated that PTSD is characterized by four clusters of

symptoms: (1) re-experiencing symptoms (e.g., recurrent intrusive memories, traumatic

nightmares, and flashbacks); (2) avoidance symptoms (e.g., avoiding trauma-related thoughts and

feelings and/or objects, people, or places associated with the trauma); (3) negative changes in

cognition and mood (e.g., distorted beliefs about oneself or the world, persistent shame or guilt,
emotional numbing, feelings of alienation, inability to recall key details of the trauma); and (4)

alterations in arousal or reactivity symptoms (e.g., irritability, hypervigilance, reckless behavior,

sleep disturbance, difficulty concentrating). In order to qualify for a diagnosis of PTSD, these

symptoms must be present for more than one month, lead to significant distress or functional

impairment, and must not be due to medications, substance use, or a medical condition.

The traumatic event that causes PTSD must involve any serious case that happened to the

person diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD can also be developed from repeated or any extreme

circumstance that may cause trauma to individuals. Some of the most common symptoms of

PTSD include flashbacks, nightmares, physical reactions to trauma like sweating, heart beating

fast, and nausea (Lancaster, C., Teeters, J., Gros, D., & Back, S., 2016).

1.3 Evidence-Based Assessment and Treatment

The primary goals of assessment include the detection of trauma exposure, evaluation of

DSM-5 PTSD criteria, and ongoing assessment of symptom severity during treatment.

Assessment procedures may involve several steps, ranging from the initial screening typically

conducted in non-specialty clinics (e.g., primary care offices) to lengthy diagnostic interviews,

and self-report symptom questionnaires. Together, the data gathered through these various

methods provide invaluable information that can be used to inform treatment planning and

monitor treatment progress (Steenkamp, M.; McLean, C.P.; Arditte, K.A.; Litz, B.T.). Arditte,

Litz, Mclean, and Steenkamp also used several brief tools for initial screening that have been

developed to screen for exposure to a Criterion A traumatic event, which allows for rapid

identification of persons at-risk for PTSD. These screening tools are especially relevant to busy

settings that necessitate that a large amount of data be collected in a short period of time. In

general, these diagnostic assessments performed by Arditte, Litz, Mclean, and Steenkamp can take

up to several hours to complete and require significant training to administer. Although excellent
disorder-specific interviews exist for PTSD (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, PTSD

Symptom Scale—Interview Version), interviews designed to assess the full spectrum of

psychiatric disorders may be better suited for treatment planning due to high rates of psychiatric

comorbidity among PTSD patients (e.g., major depressive disorder, substance use disorders, etc.).

Once a PTSD diagnosis has been established, symptom frequency and severity are the next

essential components to treatment planning and monitoring. A number of measures have been

developed for monitoring PTSD symptoms. These measures are generally brief, self-report

assessments of the 20 symptoms associated with PTSD (Steenkamp, M.; McLean, C.P.; Arditte,

K.A.; Litz, B.T.). The four researchers provided a table of commonly used screening and self-

report measures:

Table 1. Commonly used screening and self-report measures for trauma exposure and PTSD

symptom severity

Note: The data in the table are from Steenkamp, M.; McLean, C.P.; Arditte, K.A.; Litz, B.T.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Overview of Evidence-Based Assessment and Treatment.

Journal of Clinical Medicine stated one novel line of research has investigated the potential to

enhance mechanisms of learning during cognitive-behavioral therapies (such as those used for

PTSD) by administering medications that could facilitate fear extinction. However,

pharmacological augmentation of learning mechanisms is still in its infancy and will require

much further exploration before these strategies can be recommended as standard treatment

techniques for PTSD. Innovative treatments outside the realms of psychotherapy and

pharmacotherapy, such as neuronal feedback and brain stimulation techniques, are also being

explored and may help reduce PTSD symptoms, particularly in treatment-resistant patients

(Gerin, M.I.; Fichtenholtz, H.P.; Roy, A.; Walsh, C.J.; Krystal, J.H.; Southwick, S.; Hampson,

M.P., 2016).

1.4 Change of Lifestyle due to PTSD

PTSD can have an effect on one’s lifestyle. Cortisol levels can determine if a person is

being affected by changes in lifestyle. According to Fukuda (2000), the highest cortisol levels

were found in the group characterized by a high post-traumatic stress disorder score and by a very

profound lifestyle change. Engaging in physical activities is a must for reducing stress. PTSD can

affect a person’s ability to do daily tasks due to trauma and anxiety from a disaster.

Sangwan Kim explained that mind-body practices like massage, meditation, and yoga can

ease a person’s pain and stress. Mind-body practices incorporate numerous therapeutic effects on

stress responses, including reductions in anxiety, depression, and anger, and increases in pain

tolerance, self-esteem, energy levels, ability to relax, and ability to cope with stressful situations.

1.5 PTSD as a Psychological Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is stress that results from traumatic events that

precipitate a spectrum of psychological effects. This is a mental health condition that's triggered

by a terrifying event, either experiencing it or witnessing it. PTSD can affect civilians, too.

People who’ve lived through bombardment, imprisonment, or torture; earthquake and hurricane

survivors; children who witnessed terrible events or are subjected to abuse; and victims of rape or
other forms of violence. Psychological interventions have been advocated as being effective in

the treatment of PTSD since its conception. Various forms of psychological treatment have been

used including exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, stress inoculation training, psychodynamic

psychotherapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) (Foa, 2000). The

psychological treatments described and a variety of others have their advocates, but much of this

advocacy is based on anecdotal evidence only. Solomon, 1992 reviewed the treatment literature

and concluded that most of the available studies had some methodological shortcomings and that

there was a need for further evaluation.

 II. Methodology

A. Research Design

The researcher used an exploratory qualitative research approach. In this design,

exploratory research enabled the exploration of the unknown depths of the research which the

past researchers did not include or found yet. The research strategy’s aim is: either to use own

direct experiences acquired during the research process to describe and analyze the phenomenon,

in order to produce in-depth knowledge; or to use other people’s experiences acquired to describe

and analyze the phenomenon.

Exploratory research is typically performed when the data collection method is difficult

for whatever reason. The researcher understood the features of a dialogic attitude towards

communication while keeping the distance from the interviewee's privacy knowing that they are

initiating a topic that they are sensitive on.

B. Research Setting and Participants

Purposive sampling was used in selecting the respondents that experienced an earthquake

event. Due to the current pandemic, the researcher conducted an interview online using Facebook

messenger with his/her selected respondents. The study included one (1) respondent from a

relative of the researcher. One respondent had experienced a strong earthquake with a magnitude

of 6.2 that hit Masbate. The respondent wasn’t in the exact place but according to her, she felt the

strong shaking of the ground to her location in Tondo, Manila. The respondent experienced the

said disorder after their traumatic experience with earthquakes.

 For this study, the researcher conducted an interview with the respondent through a

zoom meeting. The qualifications that the researcher made to choose the respondents are people

who have symptoms of the said disease like hallucinations, negative flashbacks, nightmares,

physical reactions to trauma like sweating, heart beating fast, and nausea.

C. Research Instruments

The method of data collection done by the researcher was conducted through in-depth

interviews (IDI). In-depth interviews are a long duration, face-to-face interviews were conducted

to achieve desired goals. It is also a method of extracting more detailed information or a deep

understanding of a subject or concept. Kvale (1996) suggests two alternative positions on in-

depth interviewing: “Miner Metaphor” and “Traveler Metaphor.” According to him, "Knowledge

is understood as buried metal and the interviewer is a miner who unearths the valuable metal."

Questionnaires that were formulated by the researcher are used to do the interview. The

draft of the guide questions was drawn out based on the topic readings and related literature of the

researcher. A different set of guide questions were prepared by the researcher that fit both the

respondents and the expert. Open-ended questions were provided to let the interviewees freely

answer the questions based on their different perspectives and thoughts regarding the topic. The

researcher also picked open-ended questions so that the interviewees can be comfortable

regardless of the issue being a sensitive topic. The researcher practiced avoiding personal bias in

asking questions and giving less pressure for immediate response. The feeling of anonymity was

also given to the interviewees for their own privacy. The form of data collection is asked to be

validated by the professor before done on the study.

 The gathered qualitative data about the experiences of post-traumatic effects of

earthquakes on people, the respondent answered the following questions:

1. When was the last time the respondent experienced an earthquake?

2. How did the incident affect the respondent?

3. How does the trauma continue to affect the respondent, and her lifestyle as time passed?

4. What did the respondent do to lessen the burden of her trauma?

5. Does the respondent have anyone to help him/her recover?

D. Procedure

The researcher asked for approval from the principal to conduct the said interview. Once

approved, The researcher began to conduct a one-on-one interview with the selected respondents

who have experienced PTSD and experts like psychologists or psychiatrists to know the different

effects of the disease on different kinds of people, to give more information, possible cures about

the said disease and if the related works of literature that the researcher gathered are valid. The

advantages are to get more information out of this. The information collected are gathered to

serve as a guide and updated information for future researchers with the related discussion.

The researcher ensured to his/her selected respondents that anything that the researcher

disclosed during the interview was remained confidential, especially their identity. The researcher

kept the questions considerably knowing the suffering the respondents has endured due to PTSD

together with their confidentiality.

E. Data Analysis
 Thematic Analysis is a flexible data analysis plan that the researcher used to generate

themes from interview data. This approach is flexible in that there is no specific research design

associated with thematic analysis; it can be utilized for case studies, phenomenology, generic

qualitative, and narrative inquiry to name a few. This data analysis plan is perfect for both novice

and expert qualitative researchers because the steps are easy to follow but rigorous enough to

generate meaningful findings from the data. According to Braun and Clarke (2013), there are six

phases of Thematic Analysis. It can also generate significant findings for qualitative researchers

who have little to no experience with qualitative analysis. As a result, Thematic Analysis is a

popular choice for novice researchers and students.

Familiarization: This is the process of becoming familiar with the data through reading

and re-reading interview transcripts. If a qualitative researcher decides to transcribe the data

himself or herself, then the process of transcription will familiarize the qualitative researcher with

the data. The purpose of this step is to get the qualitative researcher engaged with the data and

begin thinking about prevalent topics discussed by participants. Qualitative researchers can note

these prevalent topics on a sheet of paper as they read or transcribe the data. These notes can help

when moving into the second phase of the Thematic Analysis.

Generating the initial codes: The researcher became familiar with the data, he or she

began coding the data. Often a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS)

helped the qualitative researcher organize and managed the data analysis. One popular CAQDAS

is called NVivo. A qualitative researcher utilized NVivo to isolate phrases, sentences, and

paragraphs that talk about a meaningful topic. These isolated phrases, sentences, and paragraphs

will be labeled by a meaningful topic. The process of coding continues for every transcript until

each interview transcript has been coded. This left the qualitative researcher with a list of

generated codes.
 Create the initial themes: The transcripts have been coded, the qualitative researcher

takes the list of codes and begins to cluster codes together that have similar meanings or have a

relationship with one another. After the codes have been clustered together, the qualitative

researcher labeled the clusters based on the meaning or relationships shared among the codes.

Then the qualitative researcher examined the clusters to see if there are any additional

relationships between the clusters themselves. If there are, the qualitative researcher clustered the

two or more clusters together and provides another preliminary label with the relationship. The

labels form the themes. This process continues until there is no further assembling, reassembling,

or clustering possible.

Review the initial themes: The qualitative researcher took the themes and began to

review them against the data. This process made sure the themes captured the meaningful aspects

of the data without missing any important details. Once the themes are confirmed to represent the

data, the qualitative researcher moved on to the fifth phase of Thematic Analysis.

Name and define the themes: This process involved utilizing the labels created for the

theme and providing a comprehensive name that describes the relationship or meaning conveyed

in the theme. Once this is completed, the qualitative researcher defines the theme according to the

content and meaning of the codes. This definition summarizes the content of what is discussed

within the theme.

Write the final report: After the themes are defined and named, the qualitative

researcher begins to write up the final report. The qualitative researcher will present the findings

and interpretation of the data during this phase.

III. Results

The findings are based on the research objectives of the study. The data was analyzed to

identify how earthquakes affected the respondent and what the respondent did in order to lessen
the burden of the trauma. The data was gathered in an interview that was conducted through

Zoom Meetings. The respondent is a 42-year-old, Learning Engagement Specialist who works in

Alabang.

1. When was the last time the respondent experienced an earthquake?

“The last time I recall that I had experienced was last year, but that

earthquake was not near compared to the one in when I was in high school. That

earthquake just feels different and I cannot forget the shivers that it gave me”

“I experience earthquakes gave me a bad time. The earthquakes, even the

little ones gave me a memory of what has happened to me when I was in high

school and it just keeps bringing back those bad memories.”

2. How did the incident affect the respondent?

“At that time, I was in a panic. I was shaken, like I said I was still in high

school. I was trying to get my brother out of their building and everybody was

actually shaken and, you know, was really in panic at that time.”

“Well, probably, weeks after that incident, yeah, I had difficulty sleeping

every time I fall asleep it’s like I wake up and try to feel the-the, the room if it’s

moving again or because I was afraid there might be aftershocks.”

“Yeah, it would like you’re always on alert mode, you know, you’re

always on guard ‘cause thinking that it might happen again.”

3. How the trauma continued to affect the respondent, and her lifestyle as time passed
 “Yes! Yes, you know, every time earthquakes happen I feel the same

thing again, you know, I, it’s panic and palpitations and basically, sleepless

nights again. I experienced that when I gave birth. I was in the hospital so I

thought it was just an effect of the medication but then, when I realized that it

was indeed a real earthquake, I was, I froze for a moment and then suddenly

panicked because I had my husband run to the nursery and check on the baby.

And then, now that I’m working, every time I’m at work, my prayer would

always be “please don’t let an earthquake happen” because I am on the 14 th floor

in my building. And, it did happen one time and I went under the table and was

shaking. It took me a while before I was able to recover.”

“Yeah, like I mentioned every time that NDRRMC, whatever

notification comes up on the phone, I’m like, oh my god, we might be next so.”

“Yeah, I’m very cautious now. Every time I get, going to a place, I

always check the nearest exit, you know, where I would get into when there’s an

earthquake, where I would hide or how I would be protecting myself and

everything.”

4. What the respondent did to lessen the burden of her trauma

“Well, there’s a lot of different PTSD and if it’s earthquake PTSD then it

really can’t be cured probably because it’s not an ongoing, you know, condition.

You know, it triggers when it’s happening. But, for most of PTSD side effects, of

course, it’s how you manage your anxiety and panic attacks so yeah probably, it

could be managed but it’s hard to be cured.”

 “Well, I tried to breathe, tried to calm, calm myself, and tried to relax.

It’s hard but then, you know, you have to deal with it. You have to face it so.”

“Not much. Family, yeah, but then thinking of family only burden me

more so I’d rather, you know, try to calm myself down.”

“Yeah, the physical comfort of having somebody sleep next to you, of

course, is a big help. Sometimes, I’d prefer that I sleep first, somebody still

awakes just so I know somebody could alert me if something happens. It’s crazy

I know but that helps.”

5. Does the respondent have anyone to help him/her recover?

“Yes, I have my family, and friends that helped me recover and moved

on from what I’ve experienced in the past. Mostly, I have done it myself, I just

do what I do in my everyday life to not think about the experience.”

“My friends knew that I have this thing about earthquakes, they always

check on me on chats or sometimes they go to my house to see how am I doing

after the earthquakes.”

IV. Discussion

The data that was gathered from the interview as well as different insights of the

respondent that were not included in the interview questions. The discussions are based on the
study's research objectives. The data was reviewed to determine how earthquakes impacted the

responder and what the respondent did to mitigate the trauma's impact. The respondent is a 42-

year-old, Learning Engagement Specialist who works in Alabang.

1. When was the last time the respondent experienced an earthquake?

The respondent said that the last time that she had experienced an

earthquake was last year. She also mentioned that the earthquake did not come

close to the intense of the earthquake that she experienced in highschool which is

the one that also gave her the trauma.

“The last time I recall that I had experienced was last year, but that

earthquake was not near compared to the one in when I was in high school.

That earthquake just feels different and I cannot forget the shivers that it

gave me”

The respondent said that everytime that there will be an earthquake, even

the little ones can bring the traumatic memories that she does not want to recall.

She also mentioned that these earthquakes affects her daily life from before sleep

or while sleeping.

“I experience earthquakes, gave me a bad time. The earthquakes,

even the little ones gave me a memory of what has happened to me when I

was in high school and it just keeps bringing back those bad memories.”

2. How did the incident affect the respondent?

The respondent said that she had experienced anxiety, panic attacks, and

sleepless nights. On the day of the incident itself, she stated that she was in panic

and shaken since she was in high school at the time.

 “At that time, I was in a panic. I was shaken, like I said I was still in

high school. I was trying to get my brother out of their building and

everybody was actually shaken and, you know, was really in panic at that

time.”

She mentioned that she had trouble sleeping that she would wake up and try to

feel her surroundings to see if the room was moving.

“Well, probably, weeks after that incident, yeah, I had difficulty

sleeping every time I fall asleep it’s like I wake up and try to feel the-the, the

room if it’s moving again or because I was afraid there might be

aftershocks.”

The respondent stated that her difficulty in sleeping caused her to always be alert

fearing that an earthquake may happen again.

“Yeah, it would like you’re always on alert mode, you know, you’re

always on guard ‘cause thinking that it might happen again.”

3. How the trauma continued to affect the respondent, and her lifestyle as time passed

In the interview, the respondent stated that even until now her trauma still affects

her. She stated that he experienced another earthquake when she gave birth to her

second child which caused her to panic and sent her husband to the nursery just

to make sure the baby was safe, and even till now as a working adult she had

experienced another earthquake which really scared her since she was on the 14th

floor of her building.

“Yes! Yes, you know, every time earthquakes happen I feel the same

thing again, you know, I, it’s panic and palpitations and basically, sleepless

nights again. I experienced that when I gave birth. I was in the hospital so I

thought it was just an effect of the medication but then, when I realized that
 it was indeed a real earthquake, I was, I froze for a moment and then

suddenly panicked because I had my husband run to the nursery and check

on the baby. And then, now that I’m working, every time I’m at work, my

prayer would always be “please don’t let an earthquake happen” because I

am on the 14th floor in my building. And, it did happen one time and I went

under the table and was shaking. It took me a while before I was able to

recover.”

The respondent stated that there are things now that trigger her like the

notifications from the NDRRMC app, That even though it wasn’t affecting her

area she was always bracing for it.

“Yeah, like I mentioned every time that NDRRMC, whatever

notification comes up on the phone, I’m like, oh my god, we might be next

so.”

In the interview, the researcher asked if this affected the respondent’s lifestyle in

any way. The respondent mentioned that ever since then she had become more

cautious towards her surroundings.

“Yeah, I’m very cautious now. Every time I get, going to a place, I

always check the nearest exit, you know, where I would get into when

there’s an earthquake, where I would hide or how I would be protecting

myself and everything.”

4. What the respondent did to lessen the burden of her trauma

In the interview, the researcher asked the respondent if in her opinion there was a

cure to PTSD, and the respondent replied with:

 “Well, there’s a lot of different PTSD and if it’s earthquake PTSD

then it really can’t be cured probably because it’s not an ongoing, you know,

condition. You know, it triggers when it’s happening. But, for most of PTSD

side effects, of course, it’s how you manage your anxiety and panic attacks

so yeah probably, it could be managed but it’s hard to be cured.”

The researcher also asked the respondent what she did to face this dilemma of

hers the respondent said that she:

“Well, I tried to breathe, tried to calm, calm myself, and tried to

relax. It’s hard but then, you know, you have to deal with it. You have to

face it so.”

The researcher asked the respondent if she had anyone to help her recover and

lessen the burden. The respondent had tried to think of her family but this would

lead to her worrying more, so she would try to calm herself down.

“Not much. Family, yeah, but then thinking of family only burden

me more so I’d rather, you know, try to calm myself down.”

The researcher also asked in what way her family helped lessen the burden, and

what actions they took in order to help. The respondent said that:

“Yeah, the physical comfort of having somebody sleep next to you, of

course, is a big help. Sometimes, I’d prefer that I sleep first, somebody still

awakes just so I know somebody could alert me if something happens. It’s

crazy I know but that helps.”

5. Does the respondent have anyone to help him/her recover?

 The respondent said that the only ones that help her to recover or aid the

feeling of trauma in the earthquake are her family, and friends. She also

mentioned that she was mostly doing the work to calm herself down.

“Yes, I have my family, and friends that helped me recover and

moved on from what I’ve experienced in the past. Mostly, I have done it

myself, I just do what I do in my everyday life to not think about the

experience.”

The respondents said that her friends knew that she has a trauma about

earthquakes and also mentioned how her friends come to aid her feelings about

the earthquake. She mentioned that her friends call or chat through cellular

device or sometimes they come by the respondents house to see how she is

doing.

“My friends knew that I have this thing about earthquakes, they

always check on me on chats, or sometimes they go to my house to see how

am I doing after the earthquakes.”

 V. Conclusion and Recommendations

A. Summary of Findings

The researcher’s general objective is to dive deep into the symptoms, change in

lifestyle, and psychological effects on welfare, and to identify if there are any coping

mechanisms that people with PTSD can use to ease their trauma. Post Traumatic Stress

Disorder has effects that last for both the short and long term. This summary will provide

an analysis on the effects of PTSD to those who have experienced strong Earthquakes by

integrating the findings of the data gathered, alongside the other research that can be

found in Review of Related Literature.

For the researcher’s specific objectives in his research, the first specific objective

is to analyze the different psychological effects of earthquakes on their victims. The

respondent described her experience with lots of sleepless nights, panic attacks, and

anxiety. Based on the literature available in Chapter 2, PTSD is characterized by four

clusters of symptoms: (1) re-experiencing symptoms, (2) avoidance symptoms, (3)

negative changes in cognition and mood, (4) alterations in arousal or reactivity

symptoms.

The second objective is to measure the furthest impacts of PTSD on a short-term

or long-term time period. Based on the data gathered the respondent had experienced the

peak of her symptoms when she experienced the earthquake that caused her PTSD, but as

time went on she was able to suppress it, but there were still things that triggered her.

The third objective is to identify any possible cure or coping mechanisms for

someone who has PTSD. The respondent mentioned that she believed that there was no

cure for PTSD, but there are ways to manage the symptoms like anxiety, panic attacks.
B. Recommendations

To help gather data about PTSD, the following recommendations are proposed:

1. Understanding the point of view of the person. To further understand

the problem of PTSD, researchers must at least know what it does to people

through interviews, posts about PTSD, or comments from the post about PTSD.

2. Reviewing related literature. By doing so you may understand the

history, evidence, and change of PTSD that has gone through people and further

increase your evidence to the topic.

3. Data for coping mechanisms This may be used in data gathering and

through interviews, in case interviewing the person triggers trauma coping

mechanisms can be used and can give more data about PTSD and evidence.
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