There are many natural disasters that affect people’s lives and are a fact of life. People live by accepting the existence of these natural disasters and sometimes also ignoring them. We can understand the occurrence of many disasters, but we do not know exactly when an earthquake will happen, although some geoscientists predict it. An earthquake can strike us suddenly at home, at work, at school, in our sleep, or anywhere else. This situation develops suddenly and rapidly and also causes destruction. It increases the level of fear and anxiety by shaking the feeling of safety in people. In other words, the earthquake does not only damage the buildings but also greatly affects our mental health.

When we go to an area damaged after the earthquake, we immediately try to help the physically injured and suffering people around us. Sometimes there are people who have no physical wounds, but who are mentally suffering inside and we cannot understand it from the outside. At this point, psychological first aid is as important as physical first aid.

Therefore, after the earthquake, both mental health professionals and those working in the earthquake area, like many professions, have a great responsibility. On the other hand, being more conscious about the psychological first aid that should be applied not only after the earthquake but also after the traumatic events that we call the breaking point will contribute to better public health.

Psychological first aid is not a psychotherapy session. There are certain points that separate the two. Psychotherapy is usually done in a quiet place in a specific room and has a fixed duration, often on a weekly basis, so it is continuous. But there is no set room or time limit for psychological first aid. It can be applied anywhere as long as the environment is SAFE. Continuity is not always possible. Psychotherapy is done by mental health professionals, but psychological first aid can be practiced by anyone with a little training. Although it is done at very short intervals, it is a great method and the application of psychological first aid helps the survivor of trauma not to experience or be less affected by psychological disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, which is very common in these situations.

The first aim of psychological first aid is to make the person feel safe again and move on with their life. Psychological first aid has three basic principles. Watching, listening, and connecting. 

In the monitoring part, you must first observe the environment and ensure the safety of both the person to whom we will apply first aid and yourself as much as possible. Sometimes people are not in a position to ensure their safety, so you need to help them. Afterwards, you should observe the person medically and if he or she needs medical intervention, you should help as much as possible in this regard and other basic needs. After these steps, we need to identify people who show serious stress reactions. From here we can move on to the listening part. This principle can be called the most important one. We need to listen to the person with empathy, we can listen by asking simple questions without asking too difficult questions. Forcing them to talk about the moment of trauma is not a good idea as it could cause them to relive it. You can start with questions such as ‘How are you?’, ‘Do you need anything?’, and ask further questions in line with what the other person has told you, but paying attention to cultural differences will also make your communication better. We need to help them express themselves and express their feelings. It is normal for the person to feel emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety, hopelessness after the trauma, and the expression of these emotions shows that the first aid you have given is correct. Sometimes people don’t want to talk, at this point, you shouldn’t be forcing them, just standing next to that person will give them a sense of security and may encourage them to talk after a certain period of time. It is important to listen with empathy and provide support. However, being supportive does not mean giving false hope. We should never make promises we cannot keep, and we should ensure that the information we share is accurate. We must always make sure that the information we share is correct, otherwise sharing false information will undermine trust in you and prevent connection. In the bonding part, we need to try to give the person social support, that is, to bring them together with people such as family members, relatives, friends. If this is not possible, we can direct them to the social support centers set up after the earthquake. In addition, we should be guided by where to find help for their basic needs. At the same time, sentences such as I will always be with you and support you, should not be said to the person, as the practitioner may need to meet with other people or change places at this stage. We need to provide and prepare the person with the information and condition that they can handle on their own as much as possible. We only help them deal with problems.

Practicing psychological first aid is not difficult, and it is effective. Since it is not clear when the earthquake will come, being prepared both physically and psychologically in advance will minimize all negative effects.

Elif Akdogan