By Yoon Ja-young
Many of the survivors of the crash of the Asiana Airlines’ flight 214 in San Francisco have returned to the country, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are okay. Prof. Lee Byoung-chul at Hallym University Medical Center said that some of them should receive treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD refers to anxiety following an accident or other unanticipated event. People can suffer from it after domestic or other forms of violence, bullying, diagnosis of an incurable disease, severe insults, car accidents or experiencing natural disasters. Experience in the battlefield or falling victim to sexual assault is the main cause of the disorder.
“People might be overlooking the mental shock of the passengers and the flight attendants because they are only concerned about the physical injuries for now. However, as time goes by, there can be posttraumatic stress disorder,” the professor said, adding that those who had no such symptoms right after the accident can develop it after a week in some cases. “Especially, the pilots and the flight attendants who continue flying are more likely to suffer from the disorder,” he added.
Those who tend to worry and are sensitive are more vulnerable than those who are positive and carefree. Symptoms include physical changes such as headaches, stomachaches, muscle pains or problems such as depression, anxiety or even schizophrenia. Some may deteriorate into alcohol or drug addiction. Others may suffer endless memories of an incident, while others may try to completely avoid it. Some people get extremely sensitive, sometimes waking at a small dripping sound.
“For the passengers, the few minutes after the crash might have felt like many hours. Victims may think that people around them weren’t caring for them and were neglecting them at the moment of the crisis. You should understand that such a psychological condition makes them feel uneasy and lose temper,” the professor said.
Those who are vulnerable should get counseling and medical treatment where they are induced to express their emotions in a comfortable and stable atmosphere. After medical treatment, they are led to get rid of the fear through cognitive behavioral therapy. Many of the victims get better after about a month’s treatment, according to the doctor.
He said the family and friends should also help. The victims may get worse if people around them remind them of the accident by continuously asking about it. Some of the patients might refuse treatment due to the feeling of guilt or betrayal, but they must be encouraged to get treatment. People should also understand that the victims have become extra sensitive due to the accident.
He adds that media can affect the disorder. Positive news such as “flight attendants and heroic passengers cope with the crash to minimize the casualties” can lessen the shock and stress on the victims, but negative news works in the opposite way.
“Even those who have only had a slight injury may suffer the disorder if they are exposed to news that negatively reminds them of the accident, such as the showing of fire on the damaged plane. It would be better to cut them off from news covering the accident,” the doctor said.
Advice: Prof. Lee Byoung-chul at Hallym University Medical Center