The Relationship between Natural Disasters and Mental Health

Disasters constitute a complex global problem and are inevitable facts of our lives. Disasters that occur every year worldwide affect individuals, societies, and countries. Mental health problems caused by disasters are among the most neglected issues worldwide, especially in underdeveloped countries. Therefore, it is necessary to understand this literature study to draw attention to the subject and fill the gap in the field. This research aimed to review the national and international literature on the relationships between natural disasters and mental health. This study was written as a traditional compilation. In our study, an unsystematic literature review was conducted. Studies including the effects of disasters on mental health and interventions published in full text in PubMed, Web of Science (WoS), Science Direct, Scopus, and Google Scholar electronic academic databases between 2008 to 2023 were examined in the literature review. During the literature search, "natural disasters," "natural disasters+mental health," "natural disasters+psychological health," "natural disasters+early interventions," the English keywords and their Turkish equivalents were used. In our study, the existing literature on disaster and mental health has been read, and disaster and mental health have been discussed as a holistic concept. In our research, disaster and its types, mental health, the relationship between tragedy and mental health, and early interventions constitute the conceptual framework of our study. Understanding the psychological effects of disasters on people can help optimize responses. The use of evidence-informed disaster interventions can reduce distress, enhance well-being, and improve functioning for affected individuals and communities.