From a Mental Health prospective as we learn about the Cruise Ship Costa Concordia running aground in Porto Santo Stefano, Italy, what if any, lasting impact this may have on the passengers.
By Dr. Lawana R. Lofton, PsyD
On Friday, January 13, 2012, Cruise Ship Costa Concordia, sailing in shallow waters off the coast of Tuscany, Porto Santo Stefano, Italy, ran aground. Reportedly, Captain Francesco Schettino, has been arrested for manslaughter, abandoning ship, and is expected to contribute to an investigation to discover what occurred on board.
The ship hit a submerged rock, causing a 160-foot cut to its hull allowing a rapid rush of water to enter the ship. The ship then navigated off course to initiate an eventual evacuation procedure, but then unexpectedly ran aground on a tiny island of Giglio near the coast of Tuscany. Because of this many of the life boats could not be launched.
The dramatic photographs released by morning, Saturday, January 14th, show a luxury liner off Giglio's coast partially submerged, and resting on its side.
The most significant questions Captain Francesco Schettino will need to answer is why a May Day Distress Signal was not launched Friday, Jan 13th in the evening when the ship suspected damage? This certainly would have allowed passengers and crew to prepare themselves, lower anxieties felt, and gather their internal resources to tackle this large tragic event. And, most importantly, be rescued promptly.
It is now being discussed perhaps the Captain was aware of difficulty early on the ship when it hit a submerged rock, but instead of sending out a May Day Signal then, the Captain charted a path off course and navigated closer to shore so passengers and crew could launch life boats, and stand a greater chance of rescue. So, if the Captain knew the damage was significant enough to warrant the need to shift course, the need for life boats, wouldn’t it be reasonable to call the May Day then? Notify the crew and passengers of trouble ahead? As reported the May Day was not activated until the ship got closer to shore and experiencing trouble with evacuation procedures. There were signs of trouble long before so a significant delay occurred.
To date, CNN is reporting based on information obtained from the Italian Coast Guard, and Italian News Agency, there are three fatalities; two French passengers and a Peruvian crewman. There are up to 70 people who remain unaccounted among the 4,300 passengers and crew estimated on board.
My hope is there will be several thousand survivors, and some relief for the frightened passengers. This is an event which is both tragic and traumatic. Compound this with the level of uncertainty many passengers surly felt due to a lack of transparency occurring on the ship may have only made matters worst. Many survivor accounts released are saying they were not informed in a timely manner something was even wrong on board as the ship was beginning to tilt to one side. Then, panic ensued as the ship took on more water.
From a Mental Health prospective limiting the amount of lasting trauma will be paramount. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), can occur in anyone who experiences or witnesses a life-threatening event that causes feelings of intense fear or hopelessness.
If you, a partner, or someone you are close to is in someway negatively impacted by these recent events, offer support. It is likely those who endured this event directly will need support. It is also likely just the mention of hearing of a tragic event in the media could cause someone to think about their own tragic memories of the past when they experienced a traumatic stressor.
Memories can be extremely vivid and powerful. Our Limbic System which contains the Amygdala and Hippocampus responsible for memory, allow humans to form Emotional Memories. This is why an event such as this can become a trigger for some. Being exposed to something familiar can serve as a reminder of their own trauma experienced in the past.
As survivors recount their experience, short - term memories are already forming with vivid emotional detail containing several sensory modalities which have the potential to form a heavy neurological imprint. [ Something not easily forgotten]. Those most vulnerable to developing Post Traumatic Stress it mostly rests on the severity, type, and circumstances of the traumatic event. Not everyone exposed to trauma will develop complications and some are more vulnerable than others depending on one’s personality, or brain physiology. So, support in the form of talk is valuable.
A Survivors Account: “We were crawling up a hallway, in the dark, with only the light from the life vest strobe flashing," said Ananias' mother, Georgia Ananias, 61. "We could hear plates and dishes crashing, people slamming against walls."
Survivors will need support and the freedom to talk about events at their own pace, which most research indicates is most important to processing a traumatic event.
Until Next time: à Donf
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Video: MSNBC
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