EPA Resource Centre
This page contains relevant resources for both mental health professionals and the general public on the following:
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Resources on Ukraine (how to cope with trauma and humanitarian emergencies)
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Resources on Türkiye (how to cope with mass trauma and natural disasters)
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Resources on Covid-19 (how to cope with the mental health effects of health emergencies)
Resources on Ukraine
Following the situation in Ukraine and its tremendous impact on the mental and psychosocial wellbeing of people, the EPA and its partners have collected key resources on how to cope with trauma and humanitarian emergencies. This page will be continually updated with research, guidelines and multimedia material as more information becomes available.
The resources are available in English, Ukrainian and Russian.
EPA “HELP FOR HELPERS” webinars
In April 2022, the EPA organised the “Help for Helpers” Webinars, to provide first line helpers and volunteers with a psychological toolkit for helping refugees fleeing their country because of war. The webinars have been recorded, and are now available here.
REPORTS AND GUIDELINES
Ukrainian Prioritized Multisectoral Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Actions During and After the War: Operational Roadmap – Inter-Agency Standing Committee.
Available in English.
IASC Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings – Inter-Agency Standing Committee.
Available in English, Russian and Ukrainian.
IASC Resource Package on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for the Humanitarian Response in Ukraine and Neighbouring Countries – Inter-Agency Standing Committee.
Available in English and Ukrainian.
Psychological first aid: Guide for field workers – World Health Organisation (WHO).
Available in English, Russian and Ukrainian.
Presentation on Psychological First Aid For All – WHO.
Available in English.
Operational guidance, mental health & psychosocial support programming for refugee operations – UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
Available in English.
Clinical Management of Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Conditions in Humanitarian Emergencies – WHO and UNHCR.
Available in English.
Recommendations for dealing with people in crisis situations and following difficult life events – Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe.
Available in English, Ukrainian and Russian. (Also available in German, Hungarian, Romanian, French, Polish, Slovak).
VIDEOS AND E-LEARNING MODULES
Webinar on the Principles and Practice of Psychological First Aid – Royal College of Psychiatrists (27 May 2021).
Video available in English.
Webinar on General Principles of Psychological First Aid (PFA) – Royal College of Psychiatrists (30 March 2022).
Video available in English.
Free eLearning module on “Complex humanitarian emergencies: mental health and psychosocial response” – Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Available in English.
Multimedia material and e-learning modules on the RC-PSYCH Resource Page on Ukraine – Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Available in English.
FREE PsYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT
You will find below a list of initiatives and information provided by EPA members, the EPA is not responsible for materials or information provided in third party websites.
“Doing What Matters in Times of Stress” – WHO online stress management guide, available in English and Ukrainian.
Free online psychological support at the Polish Ericson’s Institute, available Polish, English, Ukrainian, Russian and German.
Samopomi.ch website and Samopomi.ch social media channels for useful resources and psychological support (Facebook, Instagram, Telegram) available in Ukrainian.
Interactive 12 Steps Safety Plan developed as part of the EU Erasmus+ Project “E-LLIPSE”, available in English, Polish, Hungarian, Norwegian, German, Swedish and Ukrainian.
Online platform for Russian-speaking therapists who want to provide free consultations, available in Russian.
SCIENTIFIC PAPERS
TRAUMA AND PTSD | ADULTS
Ben Zina, E., Krir, M., Bel Hadj, H., Tajmout, A., Ben Cheikh, C., El Kefi, H., & Omaya, A. (2017). Assessment of Chronic Pain in Military Patients with PTSD. European Psychiatry, 41(S1), S721-S721. doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1303
Samardzic, R., Spiric, Z., Mandic-Gajic, G., Radovanovic, M., Bjelica, N., & Eror, A. (2007). Mental health of war veterans in military forces of Serbia. European Psychiatry, 22(S1), S287-S287. doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2007.01.971
French, L. (2013). 456 – New Dimensions in the Evaluation and Treatment of PTSD within the Military. European Psychiatry, 28(S1), 1-1. doi:10.1016/S0924-9338(13)75785-7
El Kefi, H., Abdelghaffar, W., Baatout, A., Bechikh Brahim, C., Krir, W., Eddif, S., & Oumaya, A. (2016). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in a Group of Militaries With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. European Psychiatry, 33(S1), S513-S513. doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1893
Trautmann, S., Schönfeld, S., Heinrich, A., Schäfer, J., Zimmermann, P., & Wittchen, H. (2015). Risk Factors for Common Mental Disorders in the Context of Military Deployment: A Longitudinal Study. European Psychiatry, 30(S1), 1-1. doi:10.1016/S0924-9338(15)30244-3
Van der Wal, S., Vermetten, E., & Elbert, G. (2021). Long-term development of post-traumatic stress symptoms and associated risk factors in military service members deployed to Afghanistan: Results from the PRISMO 10-year follow-up. European Psychiatry, 64(1), E10. doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.113
Jankovic, J., Bremner, S., Bogic, M., Lecic-Tosevski, D., Ajdukovic, D., Franciskovic, T., . . . Priebe, S. (2013). Trauma and suicidality in war affected communities. European Psychiatry, 28(8), 514-520. doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2012.06.001
TRAUMA AND PTSD|CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
Stankovic, M., Grbesa, G., Simonovic, M., Kostic, J., & Ilic, N. (2016). Psychological responses to traumas of children younger than 6 years old diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. European Psychiatry, 33(S1), S359-S359. doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.1286
Zikic, O., Nikolic, G., Krstic, M., Randjelovic, D., & Jeredic, B. (2015). Anxiety, Depression and Childhood War Trauma. European Psychiatry, 30(S1), 1-1. doi:10.1016/S0924-9338(15)30455-7
Graovac, M., Petrić, D., Kaštelan, A., Rebić, J., Biškup, M., & Frančišković, T. (2013). 1917 – Childhood Trauma And Developmental Processes. European Psychiatry, 28(S1), 1-1. doi:10.1016/S0924-9338(13)76866-4
Fernandes, V., & Osório, F. (2015). Are There Associations Between Early Emotional Trauma and Anxiety Disorders? Evidence from a Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis. European Psychiatry, 30(6), 756-764. doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2015.06.004
Resources on Türkiye
Following the earthquake in Türkiye and its impact on the mental and psychosocial wellbeing of people, the EPA and its partners have collected key resources on how to cope with mass trauma and natural disasters. This page will be continually updated with research, guidelines and multimedia material as more information becomes available. The resources are available in English and Turkish.
Travmatik bir olayla başa çıkma Coping after a traumatic event in Turkish – Royal College of Psychiatry
Psychological Assessment and Early Interventions After Mass Traumas | Kitlesel Travmalar Sonrası Ruhsal Açıdan Değerlendirme ve İlk Müdahale Rehberi
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Psychological First Aid After the Earthquake: How Can We Support The Mental Well-Being of the Survivors? | Deprem Sonrası Psikolojik İlk Yardım Kılavuzu: Afet Mağdurlarının İyi Olmalarını Nasıl Destekleyebiliriz?
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Guide for Patients Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder After the Earthquake | Deprem Sonrası Bipolar Bozukluk Tanılı Hastalara Yönelik Bilgilendirme
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Guide for Healthcare Workers to Prevent Burnout After the Earthquake | Kahramanmaraş Depremleri Sonrası Sağlık Çalışanlarının Tükenmişlikten Korunma Rehberi
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Forensic Medicine Practices After Mass Trauma | Kitlesel Şiddet Olayları Sonrası Adli Tıp Uygulamaları
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Guide for Healthcare Workers on Communicating Bad News and Death | Sağlık Çalışanları için Kötü / Ölüm Haberi Verme Kılavuzu
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Psychoeducation | Psikoeğitim
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Guide for the Public on Mental Health After the Earthquake | Deprem Sonrası Halka Yönelik Bilgilendirme
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Leaflet for Public on Mental Health After the Earthquake
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish, Kurdish and Arabic)
Drug, Alcohol, And Substance Use After Mass Trauma | Kitlesel Travmalar Sonrası Alkol, İlaç ve Madde Kullanımı
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Guide for Mental Health of Children Survivors After the Earthquake | Depremden Etkilenen Çocuklara Yönelik Bilgilendirme
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Treatment Guideline for Schizophrenia and Psychotic Disorders During Mass Trauma and Disasters | Kitlesel Travma ve Afetlerde Şizofreni ve Psikotik Bozukluklar İçin Tedavi Rehberi
Psychiatric Association of Türkiye (available in Turkish)
Resources on Covid-19
EPA Recommendations
Hoping to contribute to reducing the negative psychological consequences of the pandemic, the EPA provides the following recommendations for maintaining good mental health through these difficult times:
1) Limit sources of stress: Rely on a limited number of official information sources and limit the time of the day devoted to this activity, disregarding information that comes from unofficial channels and uncontrolled sources.
2) Continue safe human and social contact: Increase communication with friends, family members and loved ones, at a distance. Video chats or group calls with family members may help to reduce loneliness and social precariousness. In case of insufficient social network, professional helplines are particularly useful, if managed by qualified trained professionals.
3) Maintain your usual rhythm: Keep a regular routine by maintaining regular sleep-wake rhythms and diet patterns. Addictive behaviours might be particularly at risk of rebound or relapses, therefore intellectual, physical and social (even if virtual) activities are encouraged.
4) Focus on the benefit of the isolation: We should indeed be conscious that these temporary isolation measures are necessary for protecting our own health and that of others.
5) Ask for professional help when needed: Get psychiatric help if the effects of stress are becoming too invasive. Many mental health services are now equipped for providing support, emotional defusing, problem-solving strategies and psychiatric consultations at a distance.
RESOURCES ON EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY JOURNAL
Cambridge University Press
Coronavirus Free Access Collection
Collection of papers on “COVID-19 and psychiatry” on the European Psychiatry Journal
September 2022
European Psychiatric Association–European Academy of Neurology statement on post-COVID syndrome
GENERAL LINKS & RESOURCES
Severe mental illness and European COVID-19 vaccination strategies – The Lancet Psychiatry
The intersection of COVID-19 and mental health – The Lancet
Psychiatric and neuropsychiatric presentations associated with severe coronavirus infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis with comparison to the COVID-19 pandemic – The Lancet Psychiatry
Collaborative Outcomes study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times (COH-FIT)
European Medicines Agency (EMA)
European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC)
World Health Organisation (WHO)
• General Advice for all from the WHO
• WHO Guidance on how to use PPE
American Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Johns Hopkins University, 18 March 2020
Interactive map and Covid-19 resources
Harvard Business Review, 27 March 2020
Lessons from Italy’s response to Coronavirus
Protocol for Responding to Global and Cross-National Public Health Emergencies and Natural Disasters – International Association for Suicide Prevention
HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Andrea Raballo, Michele Poletti, Lucia Valmaggia, Patrick D. McGorry, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Editorial perspective: Rethinking child and adolescent mental health care after COVID-19
Peter Falkai et al
Psychosocial support during the COVID-19 pandemic: interdisciplinary concept of care at a university hospital
Danuta Wasserman
Suicide Prevention During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic Evidence-Based Recommendations 2020
Silvana Galderisi and Jerzy Samochowiec
Management of Psychiatric Patients with Suspected COVID-19
Danuta Wasserman, Rutger van der Gaag, and Jan Wise
Terms ‘physical distancing’ and ‘emotional closeness’ should be used and not ‘social distancing’ when defeating the Covid-19 pandemic
Michele Poletti, Andrea Raballo, JAMA Pediatrics
Coronavirus disease 2019 and effects of school closure for children and their families
Laura Torricelli, Michele Poletti, Andrea Raballo
Managing COVID-19 related psychological distress in health workers: Field experience in northern Italy
The Lancet
COVID-19 Resource Centre with open-access papers
New England Journal of Medicine
Coronavirus (Covid-19) Resource Centre with open-access papers
Nature, 24 March 2020
Editorial (including links to free papers and resources)
Science
Links to free papers and resources
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Links to Covid-19 resources for clinicians
The Lancet Psychiatry, 18 February 2020
Mental health care for medical staff in China during the COVID-19 outbreak
Stat, 17 March 2020
John Ioannidis on interpreting the evidence so far
Imperial College London, 16 March 2020
Paper on modelling the pandemic spread
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
Collection of relevant COVID-19 publications, analysis of the evolving evidence base and weekly updates
EUROPEAN RESOURCES
Arabic language resources
Compiled by the Psychiatric Association of Turkey
• What can people older than 65 years do in order to protect their mental well-being?
• Simple Behavioural Techniques Effective in the Management of Stress
• COVID-19 and Stigmatization
Croatia
Croatian language resources:
Resources compiled by the Croatian Psychiatric Association
English language resources:
• Recommendations for the organization of psychiatric care and psychiatric interventions during COVID-19 epidemics
• Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2) Pandemic – Self-help Strategies to Stay in Good Mental Health
• Corona Virus (SARS-CoV-2) Pandemic and Psychological First Aid – Recommendations for First- liners
Estonia
Estonian language resources:
• Psychosocial crisis action plan with other mental health organisations
English language resources:
• Mental health during the emergency situation, compiled by the Estonian government
France
French language resources:
• Resources compiled by the Association of Young Psychiatrists and Young Addictionologists
• Resources regarding confinement and mental health
• Guidelines for healthy sleep rhythms during confinement
• Forensic psychiatry recommendations
• Ensuring mental health care during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in France: a narrative review
Germany
German language resources:
• Resources compiled by the German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
• Resources from the Ethnomedical Center
• Resources from the Federal Commission for Migration, Integration and Refugees
• Coronavirus: Tips for Mental Health, provided by the DGPPN
• Information on dealing with Covid-19 in psychiatric clinics and medical practices, provided by the DGPPN
English language resources:
• Clinical management for patients with psychiatric disorders and a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Guidance for Pan-European recommendations
• Measures for hospital facilities in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
Italy
English language resources:
• Recommendations for Mental Health Departments Pertaining to Activities Related to Containment of the SARS-COV-19 Virus, Updated for Phase 2
• Recommendations regarding Covid-19 management in mental health facilities
provided in a special supplement of Evidence Based Psychiaric Care, the journal of the Italian Psychiatric Association
Kurdish language resources
Compiled by the Psychiatric Association of Turkey
• Guidelines for Doctors and Healthcare Professionals in Managing COVID-19 Related Fear and Anxiety
• What can people older than 65 years do in order to protect their mental well-being?
• Mental Health During COVID-19 and Coping with Stress
Poland
Polish language resources:
Resources compiled by the Polish Psychiatric Association
Spain
Documentation in Spanish provided by the Spanish Society of Psychiatry
• Resources for Psychiatrists
• Resources for Tele-psychiatry
• Resources for the General Public
Turkey
Turkish language resources:
Resources compiled by the Psychiatric Association of Turkey
Kurdish language resources (compiled by the Psychiatric Association of Turkey):
• Guidelines for Doctors and Healthcare Professionals in Managing COVID-19 Related Fear and Anxiety
• What can people older than 65 years do in order to protect their mental well-being?
• Mental Health During COVID-19 and Coping with Stress
Arabic language resources (compiled by the Psychiatric Association of Turkey):
• What can people older than 65 years do in order to protect their mental well-being?
• Simple Behavioural Techniques Effective in the Management of Stress
• COVID-19 and Stigmatization
PATIENTS, FAMILIES, CARERS & GENERAL PUBLIC
EUFAMI
EUFAMI is an organisation whose mission is to represent all family members of persons affected by severe mental ill health at the European level so that their rights and interests are recognised and protected.
GAMIAN-Europe
The Global Alliance of Mental Illness Advocacy Networks-Europe (GAMIAN-Europe) is a patient-driven pan-European organisation, representing and advocating the interests and rights of persons affected by mental ill health.
COVID-19 Resource Platform, compiled by GAMIAN-Europe
MIND
Mental health charity resources for patients and carers
Coronavirus explained by a child psychiatrist, an illustrated story for children
Available in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Armenian and Russian
If you or those close to you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and are in need of information about testing and treatment,
please approach the local health care providers in your area.
The EPA is unable to give personalised medical advice.