Citation

McKinzie AE. Int. J. Qual. Stud. Health Well-Being 2018; 13(1): e1440108.

Affiliation

Department of Sociology and Anthropology , Middle Tennessee State University , Murfreesboro , TN , USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Co-Action Pub.)

DOI

10.1080/17482631.2018.1440108

PMID

29493424

Abstract

PURPOSE: In this article, I explore emotions, trauma, and mental health issues residents experienced after tornadoes in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Joplin, Missouri in 2011.

METHODS: The research is based on 162 interviews and fieldwork from 2013-2015. I draw from literature on social suffering and trauma to ask how experiencing mental health and trauma changes how people make sense of their social worlds.

RESULTS: I discuss four common themes: 1. Emotions in immediate aftermath, 2. Relationship strain, 3. Mental health problems, and 4. Emotions in long-term recovery.  Throughout the article, I pay attention to the bodily experiences of suffering and trauma.

CONCLUSION: I argue experiencing mental health and suffering may be a critical perspective-one that can shed light on being in the world in ways that other perspectives may be less suitable to do.

Language: en

Keywords

Emotion; disaster recovery; mental health problems; social suffering; trauma