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Sarb Johal from the Joint Centre for Disaster Research at Massey University, an international centre for research and teaching in disaster risk and emergency management, has spoken about the psychological impact on the trapped boys.
He says that not only will they be psychologically disorientated but that “many of their basic physiological functions that depend upon circadian rhythms will be disturbed.”
From the perspective of those boys and their coach, the relief of being found may co-exist with the knowledge that they remain stuck and that their future remains uncertain. It’s hard to know for certain what they do and do not know about their chances of rescue in the short term, and how they may adapt to trying to deal with the possibility that rising floods waters may be a threat to their ability to survive their ordeal, or that they may remain trapped for weeks or months while people figure out the best plan or action.
We also know that the physical circumstances in which the boys and their coach are trapped also have the potential to cause harm. The lack of daylight over this period of time means that they may not only be psychologically disoriented, but that many of their basic physiological functions that depend upon circadian rhythms will be disturbed, such as sleep, hormonal functioning, core temperature, their feeding and drinking, and also how their gastrointestinal systems might be functioning.
Johal says that setting up circadian-based light, which triggers the release of serotonin much like the sun, within the cave might prove to the boys’ longterm health.
If circadian-based lighting can be established in the cave - should the boys actually have to establish themselves there for a long period or time - that may help to regularise some of these bodily functions and go a long way to helping to develop some kind of routine in day-to-day living in this extraordinary situation. Synchronising routines with the outside world through light and daily patterns of living might also be a powerful connection to establish a sense of hope.
Support for each other when they are trapped is also important - but situations may also become fraught when forced to stay together for an extended period of time with so much uncertainty and likely stress. It’s hard to know how it will play out but critical points may emerge, such as who may be selected to attempt escape first and how those choices are made. There are no easy answers to such dilemmas, and there may be many more to come.
He goes on to explain the mixed emotions that the rescuers must be currently experiencing, adding that they themselves will need care and support as the mission unfolds.
From the perspective of the rescuers, including the divers who have established contact with the trapped boys and coach, it is likely to be a time of mixed emotions. Joy at being able to find them alive, yet mixed with the reality of the challenge that lies before everyone in trying to extract them to safety. Drawing from the established body of research, it is likely that they and other members of the rescue teams will need care and support for their own wellbeing as this situation unfolds.”
Thailand cave rescue: former navy diver dies during operation – live
