PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACT OF DISASTER:

Stress

STRESS ?

“ Just because you lost your job, all you can do now is get drunk ! At home you’re always mad with your wife and children!.”

“ Oh my God, I’m so stressed! My heart is beating fast, I feel so confused, unable to sleep...In two more days I’ll be assigned to a job in Papua for 2 years. Aargh!”

“ Be careful ! There’s a stress person at the end of the

road. He is always laugh by himself. Better stay away from that place because he likes to throw stuff at people”

What is STRESS ?

A situation that an individual experiences as a result of changes occurring within himself and or to his environment. Stress disrupts his balance in life, thus demanding an individual to undergo physical and psychological adjustments.

Is the body’s normal and natural response to protect,

defend and empower themselves. eustress vs. distress

TYPES OF STRESS

Daily HazzlesCumulative

Stress Traumatic

Stress

Difference with TRAUMA??

Stress Trauma

Does not follow a traumatic experience

Follows a traumatic experience

Gradual Abrupt

Builds overtime Has long-term effects

SOURCES OF STRESSHeavy workload: “I need

to plan field trips, write reports, send the budget report, purchase food for

refugees.”

Personal Problems: “My

girlfriend won’t take my calls, mom wants me to

send some money to pay for my sister’s school

fees.”

Bad relationship with office colleagues:

“Its so frustrating that M complained about my

report being unclear and said I was too talkative during my

briefing.”

Hm..ughh..%$???!!?*#+@

SOURCES OF STRESS

Light – Heavy Ranges from daily events

to more complex situations.

Traffic jam, attend important meetings, unhealthy child, divorce, death of a family member,etc.

Acute – Chronic Acute : a life

threatening or drastic change. Example: shift housing, suffer from an accident.

Chronic : lives under constant pressure. Example: poverty, has to take care of a handicapped child, etc.

• Emotional• Cognitive• Physical• Behavioral• Interpersonal• Spiritual

Emotional Reaction

• Shock• Fear,

anxious• Angry• Hatred• Grief

• Guilty• Embarrassed,

helpless• Numbness • Depressed

Cognitive Reaction

• Confused• Disorientation• Doubtful, indecisive• Worried • Slower thinking

process• Memory problem

• Concentration problem

• Forgets easily• Nightmares

Physical Reaction:

• Physical tense• Gets exhausted

easily• Sleep disorders• Headaches,

muscle ache and pain

• Startles easily

• Increased heartbeat

• Cold sweat• Nausea, migraines• Lost of appetite

and sexual desire

Behavioral Reaction

Self-isolation, tries to handle too many tasks but gets nothing done, acts jittery, cries.

Excessive smoking, consuming alcohol or drug abuse

Interpersonal Reaction

• Difficult to trust people• Gets offended easily, very sensitive• Impatient• Gets involved in conflicts• Becomes unapproachable/ retreats

from social interaction• Feels rejected / neglected• Stays away from people

Spiritual Reaction

• Questions the meaning of life• Feels anger towards God• Questions their own belief /

faith

Individual differences on reactions & impact of stress

*** Internal factors

1. Individual characteristics (age, gender, educational level, economic status, race, etc.)

2. Has had a previous stressful experience

3. Type of personality

4. Thinking pattern

*** External factors: the availability or lack of social support

*** Factors regarding sources of stress