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work)
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Tehzeeb Ali
(BS 5th Social work)
S.No
Topic
Page No
Disaster effects
Psychotherapy
What is counseling?
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References
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Disaster effects
People all over the world know the destruction produced by weather, the
devastation of geological disaster, the havoc of industrial and transportation
accidents.Many know, as well, the misery of terrorism, chronic political
violence, and war. Overthe last quarter of a century, more than 150 million
people a year have been seriouslyaffected by disasters.The physical effects
of a disaster are usually obvious. Tens or hundreds or thousands of people
lose their lives. The survivors suffer pain and disability. Homes,workplaces,
livestock, and equipment are damaged or destroyed. The short-term
emotional effects of disaster -- fear, acute anxiety, feelings of emotional
numbness, and grief -- may also be obvious. For many victims, these effects
fade with time. But for many others, there may be longer-term emotional
effects, both obvious and subtle.Some of the emotional effects are direct
responses to the trauma of disaster. Other effects are longer-term responses
to the interpersonal, societal, and economic effects of the disaster. In any
case, in the absence of well-designed interventions, up to fifty percent or
more of the victims of a disaster may develop lasting depression, pervasive
anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other emotional disturbances.
Even more than the physical effects of disasters, the emotional effects cause
long-lasting suffering,disability, and loss of income.
Role of social worker in disaster
The social work profession has long been involved with disaster relief, both
through the professions roots in the provision of wartime relief, and its
concern with the physical environment of people. Beginning with the Civil
War and continuing with the formal role of social workers in Vet Centers,
social workers have helped treat the trauma resulting from wartime
deployment. In the social work perspective, the environment is included
among the physical, biological and social factors influencing the welfare of
individuals, groups, and populations. Since the late nineteenth century social
workers have intervened in the microenvironments of people to improve
The severity of childrens reactions will depend on their specific risk factors.
These include exposure to the actual event, personal injury or loss of a loved
one, level of parental support, dislocation from their home or community, the
level of physical destruction, and pre-existing risks, such as a previous
traumatic experience or mental illness. Adults should contact a social worker
if children exhibit significant changes in behavior or any of the following
symptoms over an extended period of time.
Preschoolersthumb sucking, bedwetting, clinging to parents, sleep
disturbances, loss of appetite, fear of the dark, regression in behavior, and
withdrawal from friends and routines.
Elementary School Childrenirritability, aggressiveness, clinginess,
nightmares, school avoidance, poor concentration, and withdrawal from
activities and friends.
Adolescentssleeping and eating disturbances, agitation, increase in
conflicts, physical complaints, delinquent behavior, and poor concentration.
A minority of children may be at risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Symptoms can include those listed above as well as re-experiencing the
disaster during play and/or dreams; anticipating or feeling that the disaster is
happening again; avoiding reminders of the disaster; general numbness to
emotional topics; and increased arousal symptoms such as inability to
concentrate and startle reactions. Although rare, some adolescents may also
be at increased risk of suicide if they suffer from serious mental health
problems like PTSD or depression. Again, adults should seek social worker
help for children exhibiting these symptoms.
What is counselling?
There are various forms and definitions of counseling. One version is that
counseling is a working relationship in which you are able to explore and
manage
what
is
happening
in
your
life.
The main goal of counseling is to provide opportunities for you to work
towards a more satisfying and manageable experience of life. Counseling
also equips you with information and resources aimed at informing and
empowering you. Of course, each individuals needs are different.
Counseling may assist with:
Making decisions
A social worker may be able to help a person with arthritis to achieve the following goals:
Remain calm and reassuring. Children take their cues from you, especially young
children. Acknowledge the loss or destruction, but emphasize the
communitys efforts to cleanup and rebuild. To the extent it is possible to do
so, assure them that family and friends will take care of them and that life
will return to normal.
Acknowledge and normalize their feelings. Allow children to discuss their feelings
and concerns, and address any questions they may have regarding the
event. Listen and empathize. An empathetic listener is very important. Let
them know that their reactions are normal and expected.
Encourage children to talk about disaster-related events. Children need an
opportunity to discuss their experiences in a safe, accepting environment.
Provide activities that enable children to discuss their experiences. This may
include a range of methods (both verbal and nonverbal) and incorporate
varying projects (e.g., drawing, stories, music, drama, audio and video
recording). Seek the help of the school psychologist, counselor, or social
worker if you need help with ideas or managing the conversation.
Promote positive coping and problem-solving skills. Activities should teach children
how to apply problem-solving skills to disaster-related stressors. Encourage
children to develop realistic and positive methods of coping that increase
their ability to manage their anxiety and to identify which strategies fit with
each situation.
Emphasize childrens resiliency. Focus on their competencies. Help children identify what they
have done in the past that helped them cope when they were frightened or upset. Bring their
attention to other communities that have experienced natural disasters and recovered (e.g.,
Miami, FL and Charleston, SC).
Strengthen childrens friendship and peer support. Children with strong emotional
support from others are better able to cope with adversity. Childrens
relationships with peers can provide suggestions for how to cope and can
help decrease isolation. In many disaster situations, friendships may be
disrupted because of family relocations. In some cases, parents may be less
available to provide support to their children because of their own distress
and feelings of being overwhelmed. Activities such as asking children to work
cooperatively in small groups can help children strengthen supportive
relationships with their peers.
Take care of your own needs. Take time for yourself and try to deal with your own
reactions to the situation as fully as possible. You will be better able to help
your children if you are coping well. If you are anxious or upset, your children
are more likely to feel the same way. Talk to other adults such as family,
friends, faith leaders, or counselors. It is important not to dwell on your fears
or anxiety by yourself. Sharing feelings with others often makes people feel
more connected and secure. Take care of your physical health. Make time,
however small, to do things you enjoy. Avoid using drugs or alcohol to feel
better.
Helping Children Adjust to Relocation after a Natural Disaster
The frequent need to relocate after a disaster creates unique coping
challenges. It may contribute to the social, environmental, and psychological
stress experienced by children and their families. Children will be most
impacted by the reactions of their parents and other family members, the
duration of the relocation, their natural coping style and emotional reactivity,
and their ability to stay connected with friends and other familiar people and
activities. To the extent possible parents and other caregivers should:
Bring personal items that the child values when staying in temporary
housing.
Establish some daily routines so that the child is able to have a sense
of what to expect (including returning to school as soon as possible).
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Refrences
United States Executive Office of the President. (2005). Catalog of federal domestic
assistance programs. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office.
<http://www.cfda.gov>
Westberg, G. (1962). Good grief. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
Zastrow, C., & Kirst-Ashman, K. (2001). Understanding human behavior and the social
environment. (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole-Wadsworth.
Zastrow, C. (2004). Introduction to social work and social welfare. (8th ed.). Belmont,
CA: Brooks/Cole-Wadsworth.
Sherwood, D.A. (1998). Spiritual assessment as a normal part of social work practice:
Power to help and power to harm. Social work & Christianity, 55(1), 75-84.
Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York: Free Press.
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Spiegel, A. (February 14, 2006). Favored psychotherapy lets bygones be bygones. The
New York Times, D5.YT.
Tangenberg, K.M. (2005). Faith-based human services initiatives: Considerations for
social work practice and theory. Social Work, 50(1), 197-206.
Baum, A. (1987). Toxins, technology, and natural disasters. In G. R. VandenBos & B. K. Bryant (Eds.),
Cataclysms, crises, and catastrophes: Psychology in action (pp. 9-53). Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association.
Bell, B. D. (1978). Disaster impact and responses: Overcoming the thousand natural shocks.
Gerontologist, 18, 531-540.
Bolin, R. (1986). Disaster characteristics and psychosocial impacts. In B. J.
Phifer, J., & Norris, F. (1989). Psychological symptoms in older adults following natura disaster:
Nature, timing, duration, and course. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences