Depression and

Disasters
World Health Organization
 Depression is a common illness worldwide, with an estimated 3.8% of the
population affected, including 5.0% among adults and 5.7% among adults
older than 60 years.
 Approximately 280 million people in the world have depression.
 Depression is different from usual mood fluctuations and short-lived
emotional responses to challenges in everyday life.
 Especially when recurrent and with moderate or severe intensity,
depression may become a serious health condition.
 It can cause the affected person to suffer greatly and function poorly at
work, at school and in the family.
 At its worst, depression can lead to suicide. Over 700 000 people die due to
suicide every year. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in 15-29-
year-olds.
What Is Depression?
A Continuum

Normal Mood Lowering

Abnormal Mood Lowering

Abnormal mood lowering and loss of function

What Is Depression?
 During a depressive episode, the person experiences
depressed mood (feeling sad, irritable, empty) or a loss
of pleasure or interest in activities, for most of the day,
nearly every day, for at least two weeks.
 Several other symptoms are also present, which may
include poor concentration, feelings of excessive guilt or
low self-worth, hopelessness about the future, thoughts
about dying or suicide, disrupted sleep, changes in
appetite or weight, and feeling especially tired or low in
energy.
What Is Depression?
 Individuals with  Range of symptoms:
experience of natural or
non-natural traumatic
events tend to be at a
high risk of being faced
with depression.
 Negative views
 Worthlessness
 Incapacity
 Guilt
 Sleep disturbance
 Diurnal mood variation
 Loss of energy
 Impaired concentration
What Is Depression?
 Impaired work ability
 Poor social functioning

 Psychomotor retardation

 Pessimism

 Better off dead

 Thoughts of suicide

 Suicide / action

 Fear / belief of bodily illness

Disaster and mental health
 A disaster affects the social structure, and it creates an
immense barrier on the usual functioning of the society.
The disaster does not have physical consequences only,
but it also encompasses the other domains such as the
psychological and psychosocial dimensions.
 The impact of disasters can be neutralized with the help
of some variables like the willingness for positive
psychological adjustment of the victims, the ability of the
community to adapt to the environment.
Vulnerabilities
 Losses
 Stressful life events
 Lack of social
support
 Physical illness
 Familial factors
 Genetic factors
What Is Depression? - Various Criteria.

 Depressed mood or loss of pleasure for

at least 2 weeks. Plus 4 or more of:
 Worthlessness or guilt
 Impaired concentration
 Loss of energy and fatigue
 Thoughts of suicide
 Loss or increase of appetite or weight
 Insomnia or hypersomnia
 Retardation or agitation
What Is Depression? - Various Criteria.
DSM – V
 Duration > 2 weeks Depressed mood or Marked loss of
interest or pleasure in normal activities
 Plus 4 of:
i. Significant change in weight
ii. Significant change in sleep pattern
iii. Agitation or retardation
iv. Fatigue or loss of energy
v. Guilt / worthlessness
vi. Can’t concentrate or make decisions
vii. Thoughts of death or suicide
END!!!