Psychological Trauma of Oil Spill Hitting Gulf Communities Hard
Much has been said about the environmental and economic effects of BP's oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico; but what about the human effect?
Psychiatrists have offered group sessions in communities which have been crippled by the unrelenting flow of oil into their local waters. The psychiatrists say they are seeing the same symptoms as they found after Hurricane Katrina: anger, anxiety, depression, drinking, and suicidal thoughts.
The marine industry, in particular fishing, is the foundation of many towns along the coast of America's Gulf States. Fishermen have seen their business prospects whittle away as constant closures of the Gulf waters eliminate their ability to work and provide for their families.
The psychological toll of the oil leak has been heavy for some and overwhelming for others, as evidenced by a charter boat captain who committed suicide in Alabama last week.
Shrimper Ricky Robin says, "Everybody's acting strange. Real angry, frustrated stressed out, fighting brothers and sisters and mamas and family. Seeing everything that you've been used to for years kind of slowly going away from you, it's overwhelming."
Read the full story at Nola.com: Psychological toll of Gulf of Mexico oil spill quietly mounts
Nathanael Baker is the Managing Editor of EnergyBoom. He has researched and reported on the issues of renewable energy, sustainability, and climate change for over two years. He has provided research to the New York Times and The Economist, as well as being published on different media outlets including, The Energy Collective.
Energy Boom content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be advice regarding the investment merits of, or a recommendation regarding the purchase or sale of, any security identified on, or linked through, this site.
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