Toxic Turmoil: Psychological and Societal Consequences of Ecological Disasters.(REQUIRED READING)(Book review)

TOXIC TURMOIL: PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIETAL CONSEQUENCES OF ECOLOGICAL DISASTERS Johan M. Havenaar Julie G. Cwike Evelyn J. Brome (New York: Springer, 2002), 294 pages.

Toxic Turmoil: Psychological and Societal Consequences of Ecological Disasters brings together experts from the fields of psychology, public health, environmental science, medicine, humanitarian relief and public policy to examine the impact of past biochemical, nuclear and environmental disasters on physical, mental and community health.

The editors define an ecological disaster as the real or perceived exposure of a community to hazardous substances on a large scale. The six case studies presented, which include the Chernobyl nuclear accident and Arai Sea degradation, among others, provide well-researched examples of the effects such disasters have on individuals and communities. Some chapters focus more broadly on public health implications, while the best of them, such as R. Srinivasa Murphy's chapter on the Bhopal gas leak, offer particularly detailed and intriguing accounts of mental health interventions conducted in the wake of disasters.

As discussed by the various authors, societal consequences of ecological disasters may include stigma of those exposed, community disintegration due to emigration, economic upheaval and distrust of local and national institutions. Psychological consequences include anxiety, ...