Impact of Crisis, Trauma, and Disaster Events on Mental Health

When a critical incident occurs, it can feel like an emotional earthquake to the survivor, disrupting his or her overall functioning. In cases of prolonged trauma (e.g., childhood sexual abuse or war), there is no immediate “clean-up” effort, resulting in prolonged exposure to trauma. In other cases, such as natural and human-made disasters and acts of terrorism, there are often large-scale responses to intervene immediately following the event. The impact of crisis, trauma, and/or disaster on the mental health of the survivor is dependent upon the type of critical incident, the available resources, the actions of the responders, the physical and emotional state of the survivor, and the survivor’s support systems.

For this Assignment, read the case study Sam located in this week’s resources. Think about the impact of crisis, trauma, and/or disaster on the individual in the case study. Think about a crisis, trauma, or disaster that you have experienced. Reflect on the impact it had/has on your mental health and the mental health of those around you.

The Assignment (2–3 pages):

• Provide an analysis of the impact of crisis, trauma, and/or disaster on the person presented in the case study. Be specific and provide examples to illustrate.
• Briefly describe a personal example of crisis, trauma, or disaster, and explain the impact it has had on you and others.

Support your Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are required to provide a reference list and to appropriately cite, in APA style, all references used within your Assignment.