Exploring Skills for Psychological Recovery: Post-Disaster Support

This essay explores the Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) approach, designed to aid communities in coping after disasters. Disasters can lead to various mental health issues, and recovery speed depends on coping strategies and support networks. The essay highlights that approximately 20% of affected individuals may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It emphasizes the importance of continued mental health treatment beyond the immediate aftermath, focusing on six key skills: prioritizing assistance, problem-solving, engaging in positive activities, managing distressing reactions through techniques like breathing retraining, controlling thoughts and emotions, and building social connections. Developing these skills reduces stress reactions and lowers the need for mental health treatment, although the essay notes that more needs to be done to encourage people to seek emotional and mental support, as a lack of skills and support can increase the risk of mental health disorders.

Running Head: HEALTH CARE 1
Psychological recovery
Author's Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Introduction
Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) approach has been designed to assist the
community in coping positively after a tragedy or a disaster (Wade et al., 2014). Disasters can
strike anywhere and cause a range of mental health problems among the affected population.
How fast the individuals go back to their usual level of functioning relies on their coping
strategies and support networks. As asserted by Bhagani (2017), about 20% of the affected
population can suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychological First Aid model
is commonly used in emergencies. Mental health treatment and care should continue beyond the
immediate aftershock of a disaster for complete psychological recovery.
There are 6 main skills for psychological recovery that can be taught to individuals to
improve coping and promote faster healing. These simple strategies and skills can be provided
by the mental health counselors and workers.
The survivors need to focus on their most important and immediate concern by gathering
information and prioritizing assistance.
Those affected can be taught the skill of problem-solving so that they can take care of
problems that can be managed on their own. With an action plan in place, they can respond
effectively and move forward (Bhagani, 2017).
The survivors must get involved in positive activities that can help them build resilience.
By promoting positive actions, the individual receives a sense of fulfillment and enjoyment in his
or her life.
Breathing retraining and writing exercises can help the survivors to manage their
distressing physical and emotional reactions effectively as asserted by Bhagani (2017).

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The stressed-out population learns how to control their thoughts and emotions, and
replace them with positive and helpful thoughts. They need to become aware of what is going on
through their mind and what they say to themselves.
Another skill that can help the survivors is by making social connections and building
community support. Supportive listening and spending time with each other can help in the post-
disaster recovery circumstances.
Skills for Psychological Recovery play a significant role when coping with the stressful
situation after a disaster. Those who develop these skills had fewer stress reactions and lower
referral rate for mental health treatment (Bhagani, 2017). Yet, there is a lot more to be done
when it comes to psychosocial support after a traumatic event. People avoid asking for emotional
or mental support or help (Wade et al., 2014). People should understand the advantage of
receiving more professional and support. Not having the right skills and not getting the right
support can increase the risk of mental health disorder for themselves and for those around them.

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References
Bhagani, H. (2017). Building skills for psychological recovery after disaster, ajem infoservices
Retrieved from https://ajem.infoservices.com.au/items/AJEM-32-02-04
Wade, D., Crompton, D., Howard, A., Stevens, N., Metcalf, O., Brymer, M., … Forbes, D.
(2014). Skills for Psychological Recovery: Evaluation of a post-disaster mental health
training program. Disaster Health, 2(3-4), 138–145.