People experience a spectrum of reactions as a result of epidemics, such as Ebola, and disasters, such as weather-related events. Psychiatrists can provide interventions for those who are in distress with a special focus on mitigating these disaster stress reactions.

Â Related content:For more on this topic, please see "Disaster Psychiatry: What Psychiatrists Need to Know," by Anthony T. Ng, MD, on which this slideshow was based. Dr Ng is Chief Medical Officer at Acadia Hospital and Chief of the Psychiatry Service at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine.