The Psychological Impact Of Gulf Coast Oil Spill
|
If you're worried about the BP oil spill, you're not alone. But for individuals living in the effected areas the outlook is even bleaker as fears extend from environmental damage to the destruction of home and livelihood. Reporting on previous disasters, Slate writer Mark Spiegel gave a gloomy glimpse today of what the Gulf Coast can expect in terms of mental health impact. Long-term studies on areas of Alaska affected by the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill revealed that residents were still experiencing mental health repercussions from the spill including spikes in rates of anxiety, PTSD, divorce and suicide more than four years afterwards. Not surprisingly, fishermen were hardest hit, with 40 percent experiencing severe depression and 20 percent anxiety. Meanwhile Hurricane Katrina caused rates of moderate mental illness to double to 20 percent of the population, with an additional 14 percent experiencing severe mental illness. Rates of PTSD likewise spiked and six percent of the tri-state area considered suicide. Already the current spill is echoing these previous disasters. The New York Times reported yesterday that of the 9,800 individuals Catholic Charities workers had approached, 1,593 were referred to counseling for signs of depression. SHARE:
Posted In: Anxiety Disorders | Generalized Anxiety Disorder | Posttraumatic Stress Disorder | Divorce | Stress & Coping | Domestic Violence | Suicide | Tags: Bp Oil Spill | Oil Spill Impact | Gulf Of Mexico | 2010 | Oil Spill Effects | Posted by FindCounseling.com Staff on June 18, 2010 at 03:24 AM | Permalink |
AboutThis page contains a single entry from Psychology Briefs, the FindCounseling.com Blog. The previous post was Male Voice Reveals Physical Prowress. The next post is Anxiety Puts Young Men At Risk For Heart Attack. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the Psychology Research Archives. Subscribe              ATOM RSS |
