Civil disaster planning
a psychiatric perspective
pp. 115-130
in: William E. Fann, Robert H. Williams, Robert R. Williams, Robert C. Williams, Comstock (eds), Phenomenology and treatment of psychiatric emergencies, Berlin, Springer, 1984Abstract
Psychiatry is the scientific study and treatment of irrational behavior. At times of disaster, when people regress to unusual forms of behavior, they may turn to psychiatry for assistance. This disorganization can occur as a result of overwhelming external or internal stress. Psychiatry as a medical specialty is eminently qualified to cope with massive grief, personal loss and sudden death that accompany civil disasters.