As climate-driven disasters intensify across Bangladesh, survivors face not only material loss but also deep psychological trauma, exposing a neglected mental health crisis among displaced communities.
Bangladesh‘s geographical location has taught us how to survive by constantly battling nature’s wrath. Every year, floods, tidal surges and powerful cyclones ravage vast coastlines and low-lying regions, tearing lives apart. Whenever a major natural disaster strikes, everyone from the media to the administration focuses on the visible damage. We stay busy calculating how many mud houses were destroyed, how many thousands of acres of crops were submerged and exactly how many cattle were washed away.
Government and non-governmental initiatives swiftly deliver relief such as rice, lentils, clean water, tarpaulins and cash to affected areas. But how many of us keep track of the terrifying silent storm that rages inside the minds of survivors after such immense devastation?
According to data published in the journal BJPsych International, more than 48% of children and adolescents affected by Cyclone Sidr in 2007 suffered from severe mental health problems, including separation anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic attacks and depression. Yet the deep and long-lasting mental health crisis caused by disasters and displacement remains largely absent from public discourse in Bangladesh.
Think for a moment about a person whose dream home, built with a lifetime of hard-earned savings, vanishes into the belly of a ravenous river in an instant. Or consider the marginal farmer who watches a golden paddy field sink beneath saline water, ruined forever. These people do not just lose material assets during a disaster. They lose their only means of survival and their dreams for the future.
When the tide rises at night or dark clouds gather in the sky, the fear that grips their hearts is no ordinary anxiety. It is a form of long-term trauma. Losing everything repeatedly can push people into a severe existential crisis. As climate change intensifies disasters, a new form of psychological distress is emerging that experts describe as climate anxiety.
The decline in mental health is often most severe among women and children in families displaced by river erosion and floods. The lack of safety and privacy in shelters or unfamiliar environments can leave deep psychological scars. A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports in 2024 surveyed 350 women in disaster-prone areas of Khulna and found that 63% were experiencing moderate to severe depression. The study identified house damage, loss of livelihood and domestic conflict as the primary drivers of the crisis.
The psychological impacts of displacement extend far beyond the immediate aftermath of a disaster. When river erosion or floods force people to leave their ancestral homes permanently, they are cut off from lifelong social identities and community networks. Leaving behind a familiar village and seeking shelter in a crowded, unhygienic urban slum often creates a persistent sense of rootlessness.
Another study published in PLOS ONE found that anxiety rates among people displaced by river erosion exceeded 76%, several times higher than among non-affected populations. Unfamiliar urban surroundings, extreme livelihood uncertainty and harsh living conditions can breed frustration and anger. In some cases, accumulated despair contributes to domestic conflict, substance abuse and other harmful outcomes.
Despite this reality, mental health support remains largely neglected within national disaster management policies. One reason is the deep-rooted social stigma and lack of awareness surrounding mental health. Many people still assume that when families lack food or shelter, concerns about mental well-being are secondary. This perception is misguided.
Mental health is not a luxury. It is an essential component of overall well-being and resilience. If a person’s psychological strength is shattered during a crisis, long-term recovery cannot be achieved through material assistance alone.
The time has come to change this mindset. Mental health support should be integrated into disaster preparedness and post-disaster rehabilitation efforts. Local volunteers and healthcare workers in disaster-prone regions should receive training in Psychological First Aid (PFA). Communities need a skilled and compassionate workforce capable of supporting survivors immediately after a disaster by listening to them, offering comfort and helping reduce fear and distress.
State-supported counselling and treatment services for people experiencing long-term trauma or depression are also urgently needed.
By the laws of nature, storms will strike again and rivers will overflow their banks. We may not be able to prevent every disaster. However, we can stand beside survivors with compassion and help them regain their inner strength.
In the years ahead, alongside sacks of relief supplies, we should also extend psychological support and empathy to those affected. Only by healing the invisible wounds can survivors find the strength to rebuild their lives and move forward with dignity and resilience.
The writer is an environmental writer focusing on climate change and environmental justice in Bangladesh.
