Abstract
Human disasters come in all shapes and sizes including wars, terrorist violence, natural events, economic recessions and depressions as well as infection. As a species more fragile than we often allow, humans would be expected to adversely react to these types of disasters in terms of mental ill health and possibly suicidal behaviour leading to increased demands on the Mental Health services. This narrative historical paper examines relevant studies into how previous disasters affected mental health and suicidal behaviour. The characteristics of what is known of the current Covid-19 disease are analysed and compared to other types of disasters with a view to gaining some insight into what we might expect. Of all the types of disasters, economic recession appears most toxic. Mitigating the worst effects of recession appears to be protective. Particularly vulnerable groups are identified in whom we might expect an increase in suicidal behaviour.
Highlights
The Hong Kong severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) experience alerts us to the possibility of an increase in the suicide rate of the elderly who are disproportionately affected with respect to ‘cocooning’, severity of illness and mortality
Similar to the Northern Ireland and Hong Kong studies discussed above, when this crisis has passed, it may well be that we will see an increase with respect to the development of mental illnesses such as anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, with some associated increase in suicidal behaviour
Humans are always prone to disasters which, in general, have an adverse effect on their mental health
Summary
Accuracy of study unclear Accuracy of study unclear US study Interrupted trend of suicide decline Young men Doubling of rate after ‘Troubles’. This was thought to be related to the ‘growing of the social economic and political legacy of the troubles and in particular of the transgenerational effect of conflict-related trauma on the mental health of the population : : : ’ (O’Connor & O’Neill, 2015). The turning inwards of aggression in depression can lead to suicide, and when turned outwards, the suicide rate decreases. This was suggested as a possible cause of the relative lack of psychiatric morbidity and suicide during the troubles (Curran, 1988). The decrease in British suicide rates noted the month after the attacks was thought to be a demonstration of Durkheimian social principles (Salib, 2003). No evidence was found of any longer-term effect on suicide (Salib & Cortina-Borja, 2009)
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