The treatment of psychological disorders after natural disasters include both self-help and professional approaches. Identify the correct sequence of steps involved in this process.
A. Counselling
B. Providing material help
C. Rehabilitation
D. Follow up
E. Psychiatric help
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → B, A, E, C, D
(B) Providing material help — the very first step is material relief: food, clothing, medical help, shelter and financial help.
(A) Counselling — next comes counselling at the individual and group level, such as encouraging survivors to talk about their experiences and giving them time for their emotional wounds to heal. One of the key attitudes to be developed in the survivors is self-efficacy, the belief that ‘I can do it!’.
(E) Psychiatric help — this is needed for those who show extreme stress reactions even after counselling.
(C) Rehabilitation — finally, rehabilitation in the form of employment and a gradual return to the normal routine is undertaken.
(D) Follow up — at some stage the victims and survivors are followed up to make sure they have recovered sufficiently from the traumatic experience.
Note: The steps in treating the psychological effects of natural disasters were there in the chapter ‘Psychology and Life’ of the pre-rationalised NCERT, which NTA followed in 2023, and are not there in the NCERT book (2025-26).
NCERT (Pre-rationalised): “Natural Disasters … Treatment of psychological disorders : This includes self-help approaches as well as professional treatment. Often, the very first step involves providing material relief in the form of food, clothing, medical help, shelter, and financial help. Counselling at the individual and group level is the next step. This can take many forms, such as encouraging the survivors to talk about their experiences and emotional state, and giving them time for their emotional wounds to heal. According to some experts who deal with PTSD, one of the key attitudes to be developed in the survivors is that of self-efficacy, i.e. the belief that ‘I can do it!’, or ‘I can come out of this phase successfully.’ Psychiatric help may be needed for those showing extreme stress reactions. Finally, rehabilitation in the form of employment and a gradual return to the normal routine should be undertaken. At some stage, follow-up of the victims and survivors is also needed in order to ensure that they have, indeed, recovered sufficiently from their traumatic experience.” |