Psychological impact facing train crash survivors

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Dozens of survivors of the tragic Amtrak train derailment are still battling physical wounds but many will likely face psychological issues as well.

Remnants of Tuesday night's deadly train derailment are now being cleared from the scene but the psychological effects for many survivors will likely linger.

Dr. Sachin Mehta, a psychiatrist with Einstein's Belmont Center for Comprehensive Treatment, says typically after a traumatic event, people are in shock or disbelief the first few days.

But by day three, symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder can set in.

"They might have recurrent memories of the event so they keep thinking about it over and over again," said Dr. Mehta.

And he says some may also have recurrent dreams of the accident or even flashbacks.

"So I am almost feeling like I am back sitting in the train compartment and going through the crash," said Dr. Mehta.

He says these symptoms are common after a traumatic event.

"I think this was probably the largest mass casualty event in this region," said Dr. Mehta.

For medical staff, Dr. Gerald Wydro says they typically compartmentalize what they're seeing at first.

Their adrenaline is running high, so they can focus on treating patients.

But he says after Tuesday night, reality set in.

"We were talking about it amongst ourselves, especially right after the event because many were upset more about the volume of patients because it can be overwhelming and some people had very severe injuries," said Dr. Wydro.

Dr. Mehta says for medical workers and survivors talking about what happened is one of the best therapies.

But if symptoms last more than three to four weeks or someone can't function day-to-day, then it's time to talk to a mental health professional.

Dr. Mehta also says sleep is vital for recovery because that's when the mind starts to heal itself.

He expects about half of survivors to go through the acute stress phase.

It's difficult to predict who will have problems in the long-term but if someone is prone to anxiety or depression, it does raise their risk for post-traumatic stress disorder.