Case report of a child's anxiety disorder precipitated by tremors from a distant earthquake that was extensively covered in local news stories.

Earthquakes are relatively common natural disasters in many parts of the world, but research about the mental health effects of earthquakes remains limited. Individuals experiencing an earthquake often suffer significant loss and are at increased risk for developing mental disorders. However, the prevalence of mental disorders following less dramatic or non-destructive earthquake phenomena is unknown. We report the case of a 10-year-old girl who came to a psychiatric outpatient department with a 2-week history of severe, disabling anxiety symptoms precipitated by non-destructive tremors from a distant earthquake that received extensive coverage in the local press. Her condition did not meet criteria for any of the specific anxiety-related disorders, so the non-specific DSM-5 category 'Other Specified Anxiety Disorder' was considered most appropriate. Her symptoms resolved over 4 weeks when treated with both a benzodiazepine and a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.