The Adverse Psychological Outcomes of Natural Disasters: How Religion May Help to Disrupt the Connection

E arth quakes, floods, tropical cyclones, etc. are natural disasters that happen almost daily.',2,3 For instance, floods are the most common natural disaster in both developed and developing countries which may sporadically have devastating impact.' Furthermore, each year from almost 3000 human perceptible earthquakes 7 to 11 result in considerable loss of life.' It has been documented that mental distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety disorders, etc. occur between a third and half of all the persons who have been exposed to such disasters." Different studies highlight that due to loss of family members or loved ones, personal threats to life, massive destruction, property loss, and the failure of social security systems, the effects of the catastrophic disasters on mental health are larger than mild ones.'-",9,1O.1l.12,13 Since one of the strongest risk factors for suicide and suicidality (i.e., suicidal ideation, plans and deliberate self harm (DSH» tends to be mental disorders,":" theoretically a relation between exposure to natural disasters and suicide behavior would also be possible. There are a number of studies that highlight the relation between being exposed to a natural disaster and increasing rates of suicide'6,'7,'8,'9,2o,21,22 or suicdality,23,24,25 although one of these studies, i.e. Krug et aL26 later retracted some of its initial findings," There are a number of variables, including age, sex, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, past history (e.g., being exposed to a previous traumatic event), social supports and cultural background that may significantly contribute to the extend of the adverse psychological outcomes of the natural disasters." For instance, women, children, elderly, and lowincome people are more prone to develop such adverse psychological outcomes" while those people who received social support may manifest a lower adverse psychological outcomes." The results of a large systematic review also reveal that higher levels of religious involvement (e.g., "how often someone attends religious meetings" or "time spent in private religious activities such as prayer") are positively related with more life satisfaction, more happiness, less depression, and less suicidal thoughts." Similarly, as far as committing suicide at the far end of mental distress is concerned, it has been well documented that religious countries have lower suicide rates compared with secular ones." Given that the positive impact of religious involvement on mental health is stronger among people under stressful conditions," it follows that the