title: Recent disasters in Sri Lanka: lessons learned.
abstract: Sri Lanka has faced several disasters in the recent past, both manmade and natural. The mental health and psychosocial consequences have been felt at the individual, family, and collective levels. Individuals developed normal distress, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, or alcohol abuse. There were changes in family and social processes causing a tearing of the social fabric, lack of social cohesion, disconnection, mistrust, hopelessness, dependency, lack of motivation, powerlessness, and despondency. Because of the widespread nature of mental health needs, a community approach would reach the most number of people.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Jaffna, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. manathu@gmail.com
authors: Daya
authors: D
authors: Somasundaram
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000191:economics; D004189:Disaster Planning; D004190:Disasters / Q000266:history*; D064868:Ethnic Violence / Q000266:history; D005190:Family; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D012924:Social Conditions; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D057192:Tsunamis; D014857:Warfare
keywords: Collective trauma; Community approaches; Disaster; Tsunami; War