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Dealing With Stress Caused By a Disaster
A major disaster--e.g., flood, hurricane, fire--threatens to not only leave a trail of lives lost, physical injuries, and property destruction in its wake, but can also result in its victims suffering from a severely damaged sense of emotional balance.
In addition to healing bodies, mourning losses, restoring buildings, and replacing material possessions during the recovery period, all of those affected, directly and indirectly, need to devote time to restoring their own emotional equilibrium. (This can be especially important for children who do not have years of life experience to guide them.)
Tips
* Be extra patient.
* Determine what's really important, keeping in mind that your spouse's or other close family member's or friend's viewpoint on what should be considered top priority may be different from yours.
* Don't expect things to instantly restore themselves. Accept that restoration (both physical and emotional) takes time.
* Realize that disaster victims have suffered losses and it's natural for them to express disbelief, anger, sadness, anxiety, and depression afterwards.
* Realize that the emotions of victims will roller-coaster and moods can change unexpectedly.
* Don't overlook the feelings of children as you deal with the situation. They need to feel that they can count on you for the extra attention, love, and support needed to get through. Reassure them, making sure they understand they are not responsible for the problems you face.
* Try to keep your family diet as nourishing as possible under the circumstances.
* Refocusing on the big picture, instead of the little details and the little problems, will help give you a sense of competency.
* Be aware of the tendency to resort to bad habits when you are under stress.
* Talk with friends, family, members of the clergy, counselors or other mental health professionals. In crisis situations, a supportive network is essential and asking for help is a sign of strength.
Source: National Agency Safety Database
Link: Find a Therapist
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