Natural disaster and mental health of emergency rescue workers: lessons learned from Turkey–Syria earthquake.

The article focuses on the psychological and physical challenges faced by emergency rescue workers responding to natural disasters, with particular emphasis on the 2023 earthquake in southern Turkey and northern Syria. It highlights that rescue workers, including healthcare professionals, soldiers, firefighters, police, and volunteers, are at risk of acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety due to exposure to traumatic events and demanding working conditions. The article also discusses barriers to mental health support for these workers, such as cultural and language differences, resource shortages, and stigma. Recommendations to improve their mental well-being include immediate psychological support, mindfulness training, tailored mental health assessments, long-term care, trauma-focused therapies, peer support, technology-based monitoring, teletherapy, and international collaboration.