Mental scars of calamity have deeper consequences

The physical signs of Sunday’s deadly tsunami are everywhere here. Less visible, but potentially longer lasting, are the mental wounds. And mental-health experts say unique characteristics of the catastrophe are compounding the psychological recovery process. The fact that it struck out of the blue on a beautiful morning during a holiday period, they say, sends an underlying message that even core beliefs —— that sea and land are distinct, that entire communities don’t just disappear in seconds —— can’t be taken for granted.

‘‘We’re seeing a lot of very stressed people in hospitals, given all they’ve suffered, including many in delirium,’’ said Hemamali Perera, senior lecturer in psychological medicine with the Medical Faculty of Colombo. ‘‘We’re seeing deep grief, distress, people unable to talk, although it’s way too early to see the full impact.’’ Aid workers mental-health experts say these costs will be borne over years, even decades.

With more than 20,000 dead and 1 million displaced out of a relatively small population of 20 million in Sri Lanka, almost everyone knows people who have been lost or had their lives turned upside down. Also jarring is the way people died. Whereas most disasters leave their dead behind, this one stole away with many of its victims.

Also jarring is the way people died. Whereas most disasters leave their dead behind, this one stole away with many of its victims. Limited refrigeration and the volume of fatalities mean that even many recovered bodies are being buried before loved ones have a chance to see them. In a culture in which funerals often involve displaying the body for two or three days, families are being denied the closure needed to cope.

The 300 workers of the Sri Lankan Red Cross are seeing early signs of trauma that, if not treated, can turn into full-blown post-traumatic stress disorder. The selective nature of this tragedy, with coastal communities devastated but the capital and inland areas unscathed, also may prolong the adjustment process. —LAT-WP