Coming to terms with disaster is long-term process

However, he is down but not out. His resilience to beat all odds and succeed is a story that psychiatrists who were working towards the psychological rehabilitation of the scores of farmers and fishermen affected in the delta districts of the State in the cyclone that changed their lives.

Dr R Karthik Deivanayagam, district psychiatrist, said that unlike disasters like the 2015 floods when the impact was uniform across various strata, the recent cyclone has brought out different reactions and impact. “For the paddy farmers, the impact on their finances and livelihood would last around a couple of years, while for the fishermen, the rebound is quicker.”

They have observed that women in many of these families were far more resilient, acting as the binding force. “They have seen so much trouble and hardship that they are braced for any challenge. The camaraderie also came to the fore. The fishermen expressed a lot of concern for the farmers,” he said. Some of the cases that required further treatment was referred to the nearest GH, he added.

The project in the delta region under the District Mental Health Programme is being followed up by the Institute of Mental Health, which is hoping to formulate a training module for those involved in rehabilitation. P Poorna Chandrika, IMH director, added, “The impact can sometimes be post-traumatic stress disorder and that is actually a grey area. We probably don’t see much of it in Asian countries due to the kind of support structure and the resilience of the population.”

Follow up is a crucial aspect of such rehabilitation, as the impact is long term and needs complete care, pointed out Hema Karthik, senior psychologist and zonal director, National Crime Investigation Bureau, who has been following up on people hit by the 2015 Chennai floods. “As I was trained in providing CPR, I realised that the psychological aid for those affected during the floods was equally important.” Three years after the floods, she is following up the lives of the ones she had counselled. “There were a lot of youngsters, some just finishing school or college. Some have settled in other countries like the US and are doing well in their lives. I receive a call now and then and I know their lives are on track.”

The question of prestige can make it difficult for the once prosperous to reach out for help, said Dr Deivanayagam. Agreed Dr Lakshmi TK, founder-president, Mastermind Foundation that has been working closely with population during disasters like the floods in Chennai, Kerala floods and Gaja Cyclone. “We have seen people refusing to come out of their homes, refusing to let go off as they are emotionally attached to it. They have told us to give them food in their homes and that they won’t part with it. That is the kind of emotional turmoil that they undergo during the times of disaster. One has to respect them and their feelings,” she said.

She admitted that while offering rehabilitation for those affected by the floods by setting up petty shops or giving them a tailoring machine, the process of financially helping the Gaja-hit was a challenge, as agriculture is their sole occupation. “They have to wait till the fields are ready to be cultivated. At the moment, we have given them options like poultry and animal rearing,” she said.