Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar University, met with earthquake victims at an event organized by Hatay Mustafa Kemal University on the 1st anniversary of the major earthquake that occurred on February 6, 2023, causing widespread devastation in 10 provinces, especially Kahramanmaraş. Tarhan, who made important presentations to students, academic and administrative staff under the title ‘Post-Earthquake Trauma and Coping Methods with Trauma’, stated that trauma disrupts human psychological integrity. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, pointing out the need to learn from past experiences and look to the future, noted that people suffer more as they try to solve things beyond their power. Tarhan also emphasized that the biggest global problem in the world is the lack of empathy.
The online event held with Hatay Mustafa Kemal University was moderated by Prof. Dr. İsa Yücel İşgör, a lecturer in the Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance (PDR) at Hatay Mustafa Kemal University. Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Rector Prof. Dr. Veysel Eren also attended the organized event.
“Trauma disrupts human psychological integrity”
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, Founding Rector of Üsküdar University, stating that the meaning dimension of traumas should be evaluated well; “When there is trauma in our body, orthopedic problems; fractures, injuries occur. When these orthopedic problems occur, people feel severe pain. Pains occur, casts, surgeries, people struggle. This trauma disrupts a person's physical integrity and pain originates from there. In psychological traumas, a physical trauma experienced in that region, a material loss is experienced. People, excluding those who have passed away, their relatives, and people in that region also experience psychological trauma. In this trauma, a person's psychological integrity is disrupted. When our physical integrity is disrupted in the body, we feel pain, and when our psychological integrity is disrupted, we feel fear and anxiety.” he said.
“Chaos, crises are part of perfection”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that one should look at the psychological meaning dimension of trauma; “Those life events, flaws, mistakes, shortcomings, irregularities are actually part of perfection. This is a quantum physics definition. Chaos, crises are part of perfection. These are the laws of creation in the universe for perfection to occur. Every life event has a threat dimension and an opportunity dimension; positive psychology looks at the event this way. The threat dimension of every event we experience; many material losses occur, losing our loved ones... The opportunity dimension, however, is being able to look at what this event taught us and applying the scale related to post-traumatic growth. Applying the items in that scale changes life philosophy, some changes occur in interpersonal relationships, and changes occur in self-perception.” he said.
“We will learn from past experiences, look to the future, but also do what we need to do today”
Tarhan stated that the tendency of trauma to disrupt a person's psychological integrity is very high, emphasizing that childhood traumas are routinely measured in almost every illness. Tarhan; “If a person has many childhood traumas, we continue the treatment of diseases accordingly. Those traumas, for example, become unresolved trauma or complicated grief. One loses someone and experiences unresolved complicated grief. To resolve grief, you put it into a logical framework, a dimension of meaning, you accept it, and then you manage it. This is a method used in therapy. Here, too, those who can do so can overcome this situation without the need for an expert or a therapist. We need to evaluate the meaning dimension of trauma in this way. We will learn from past experiences, look to the future, but also do what we need to do today.” he said.
“The more a person tries to solve something beyond their power, the more they suffer”
Tarhan stated that it is easier to accept natural disasters because they are beyond human power and will; “There are generally four stages of reaction in trauma. The first reaction is denial, ignoring. When one faces the realities of trauma and concrete symptoms emerge, the second period, the protest period, begins. Protests like ‘Why me, why did this happen to me, I didn't deserve this.’ The third stage is the depression stage, involving feelings of inadequacy and powerlessness. The fourth stage is acceptance and bargaining. In fact, one experiences bargaining during the depression stage. For example, let's say a cancer diagnosis is made in trauma. It's like bargaining with fate, 'Let my child grow up, then I can die.' Acceptance occurs, and the faster a person goes through the acceptance stage, the easier they overcome the trauma. That's why ‘Debriefing’ used to be done in therapies, meaning confronting grief and working to overcome it... Currently, when preferred, it actually scratches the trauma more. Because the more a person tries to solve something they cannot control, something beyond their power, the more they suffer.” he explained.
“If a person experiences trauma emotions, unresolved trauma turns into resolved trauma”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that it is not right to give medication for 8 weeks after trauma, emphasizing that a person should experience the pain and sorrow of their trauma. Tarhan; “If a person experiences trauma emotions, unresolved trauma turns into resolved trauma. If these emotions are not experienced, if they are suppressed, or if the patient spends the day sedated, they feel more guilt, thinking, ‘I lost my mother, I lost my child, what kind of person am I, no tears came from my eyes, I wasn't sad at all.’ Therefore, experiencing that pain contributes to the logical and emotional resolution of trauma. Sometimes a person falls into depression, withdrawing from life. This varies according to personality structure. The traumatic effect of the event itself is 20-30 percent; 70-80 percent is how the event is handled. It is the perspective and attitude towards the event. Even in the most traumatic event, there is a method we use in positive psychotherapy. There are some flowers that bear fruit all four seasons. There are some flowers, like orchids for example, that bloom all four seasons, this is called authentic happiness. They manage to be happy in every environment. Whether in prison or during an earthquake, they can manage to be happy in every environment. This is authentic happiness. People who learn this happiness can overcome even the greatest trauma.” he said.
“Our biggest global problem is the lack of empathy…”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan previously stated that trauma only affected those who experienced it; “Previously, there was post-traumatic stress disorder, but with the world becoming an electronic village, communication technologies, and the generalization of social media, it has since emerged that if primary trauma occurs for those living in that region, secondary and tertiary trauma occurs for people far away. They experienced the same pain. As we saw in the Gaza events, there are people suffering as if the whole world is in Gaza. From Denmark to America, to England. This now shows that traumas have globalized, and reactions have globalized. This is a good thing; humanity will understand each other better. The more social contact there is, the more empathy develops. Our biggest global problem is the lack of empathy. If you fill a room with all evils, rest assured that the door is opened by a lack of empathy. Behind a lack of empathy is selfishness. A selfish person is emotionally blind, emotionally deaf. They do not see the emotions and pains of others. Therefore, when evaluating the risks of traumas, it is necessary to consider all dimensions: biological, psychological, social, and semantic.” he said.
“If a person progresses by drawing positive strategies in their life, this trauma turns into a gain”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan, stating that the teachings of ancient culture are very useful; “Do not criticize those people; they are already experiencing that situation involuntarily. Let's accept them and make them feel that we are by their side. Advice cannot correct a person, and giving more advice only demotivates them further. Words like ‘there are worse things’ or ‘don't worry about it’ are of no benefit and only increase their pain. Therefore, there is no need for long conversations; let's just make them feel our presence. Let the person set a constructive goal for themselves and develop in that direction. There are protection methods here such as social rehabilitation studies and tertiary protection, but since this usually exceeds one year, if it disrupts daily life, professional support should be sought; if it does not disrupt daily life, it is not necessary to dwell too much on it. If a person sees the positive and negative aspects of their life and progresses by drawing positive strategies, this trauma turns into a gain. It turns into a self-developing trauma. In the medium and long term, for those who show the right stance, it becomes a catalyst for development and a new breakthrough.” he said.
“Those who cannot resolve trauma mummify it”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that forgetting trauma is not the solution, emphasizing that trauma should be miniaturized and its memory kept alive. Tarhan; “For example, when a person loses a loved one, a memory related to them is miniaturized and kept alive. Those who cannot resolve trauma mummify it. That is, they experience an event from a year ago with the same intensity and pain as today. This is psychological mummification, and it means the trauma continues. Therefore, they should miniaturize it, not forget it, but not live it as if it just happened. Of course, such a trauma cannot be forgotten. Trying to make it forgotten is not right, but we need to say that we had to live this, accept it, and ask what we will do to prevent it from happening again. In the grief reaction, if a person miniaturizes the trauma, that is, reduces it and turns it into a symbol, and creates a new lifestyle for themselves by honoring its memory, they manage that trauma, their grief.” he said.
“Unresolved grief becomes complicated grief”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that unresolved grief turns into complicated grief, and in this situation, depression is also added to the grief. Tarhan; “The event is continuously experienced in the form of obsession. Related to this, there are now avoidance behaviors and anticipation anxiety. One enters an expectation that it will happen continuously. The person constantly has health anxiety, and illness anxiety arises as if the same thing will happen continuously. Some people experience disability, losing their former productivity; if a person has not returned to their normal activities at a normal age, then individual solutions are needed after this stage. Personalized treatment, usually with medication and therapy, can turn that grief process from complicated grief to resolved grief. Cases still come in due to the impact of the Gölcük earthquake; although much less than before, they still exist. People who cannot resolve this event feel as if they have resolved it, but under stress, that unresolved grief in the brain suddenly flares up. An event reminding them of the earthquake feels like an earthquake is happening. If an earthquake occurs elsewhere, it feels as if it is happening to them. These will occur, but their intensity and frequency should gradually decrease. It is not possible for it to decrease suddenly; when you cut a tree, it does not dry up suddenly but gradually. This trauma will also be resolved gradually. For these individuals, individual support and personalized solutions need to be sought, but if they can do this, there is no need for an expert or medication.” he said.
Prof. Dr. Veysel Eren: “Avoiding confrontation deepens trauma…”
Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Rector Prof. Dr. Veysel Eren, who conveyed his thanks to Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan at the end of the program for his participation, stated that the organized program was very beneficial for them in the earthquake zone. Eren; “I thank my esteemed professor very much for his contributions; his observations are extremely accurate. Indeed, avoiding confrontation actually deepens trauma, so if we are here, if we are from here, if we work here, we must be here in some way. In other words, it is not very possible to overcome this trauma away from here. We have been here since the first day of the earthquake, trying to get our university back on its feet, and seeing that we have contributed to the developments here makes us happy. I hope, as our teacher Nevzat also mentioned, that this earthquake experienced by our city plays an important role in changing the destiny of both Turkey and the region. May the people here recover from this disaster much more strongly as soon as possible.” he said.