Post-earthquake Mental and Physical Effects

After living through a large-scale disaster, such as the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake, you may experience various mental and physical effects. These are a normal response to a large event not normally experienced in everyday life. Your condition will vary frequently for 2 to 3 weeks after the disaster, but most symptoms should naturally improve with time.

Mental Effects:

• Repeatedly recalling frightening experiences.
• Feelings of helplessness.
• Feeling angry or irritated.
• Feeling guilt at having survived.
• Feeling hopeless or anxious about the future.
• Feeling generally uninterested or apathetic.

Physical Effects:

• Feeling constantly fatigued.
• Inability to sleep, nightmares.
• Waking up early in the morning.
• Inability to concentrate.
• Nausea, poor appetite, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation, headaches

Treatment:

• Putting your feelings and experiences into words may help you to relax.
• Get sufficient sleep, rest, food and exercise.
• Do something calming, such as deep breathing, stretching, listening to soothing music, etc.
• If you are distracted, accidents and injuries can occur more easily; please use more caution than usual.
• If you find your mental and physical fatigue to be too intense, or lasts too long, please inquire with the University Counseling Center.

Tohoku University Counseling Center
TEL: 022-795-7833
E-mail: gakuso*bureau.tohoku.ac.jp (replace * with @).