Psychological Strategies to Rebuild Your Life After Natural Disaster

 By: Dwight Bain, Nationally Certified Counselor & Critical Incident Recovery Expert

Natural disasters change people forever. Most people know to prepare ahead of time by keeping a watchful eye on tracking the storm or stocking up on resources. What we usually don't know is how to deal with the devastating psychological reactions that come after a natural disaster strikes. Emotions like stress, anger, worry, depression, trauma, rage, confusion, anxiety, and panic are common and can build up to dangerous levels after a major critical incident which can lead to disastrous and self­ destructive behavior. The more you know about how to survive after the storm, the faster you can take positive action to get your personal and professional life back on track.

Warning Signs of "Storm Stress Syndrome"

Stress from storms and natural disasters affects everyone. However, it becomes dangerous to our health when it goes on for an extended period. Storm Stress Syndrome can affect adults, children, the elderly and even pets, so it is important to be alerted to watch for the danger signs of the psychological conditions of Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), in yourself, your family members and coworkers. The warning signs below are indicators that the intense stress from the critical incident is beginning to overwhelm an individual.

Physical Symptoms: Chills, thirst, fatigue, nausea, fainting, vomiting, dizziness, weakness, chest pain, headaches, sleep loss, elevated blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and muscle tremors, difficulty breathing, major changes to appetite or shock symptoms

Emotional Symptoms: Fear, guilt, grief, panic, denial, anxiety, rage, irritability, depression, apprehension, emotional shock, feeling overwhelmed, or a loss of emotional control

Cognitive Symptoms: Confusion, nightmares, uncertainty, hyper-vigilance, suspiciousness, intrusive images, poor problem solving, poor abstract thinking, poor attention/memory and concentration, disorientation of time, places or people, difficulty identifying objects or people along with heightened or lowered alertness

Behavioral Symptoms: Withdrawal, antisocial acts, inability to rest, intensified pacing, erratic movements, changes in social activity, changes in speech patterns, increased caffeine or sugar intake, increased appetite, or increased alcohol consumption

Adults or children who display any of these stress symptoms may need additional support dealing with the event of the crisis. it is strongly recommended that you seek the appropriate medical or psychological assistance if you see any of these symptoms in yourself, your coworkers, your spouse, or your children, especially if these symptoms were not present before the crisis. 

How to Help Things Get Back To Normal

Hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, floods, and earthquakes are often the most destructive events a person will experience in a lifetime. It may take months to perhaps even a year for everyone to feel that things are back to normal. Psychological impact will vary widely between people based on factors like age, previous experiences with disaster recovery, and most significantly, how much stress a person already had in their life before the crisis. Here are some immediate ways to restore order back into your life after the chaos of natural disaster.

Reconnect in Relationships: You can't get through a crisis alone. Since everyone is impacted differently, it is vitally important to talk about stress and pressures you experienced with the people closest to you. Reach out to friends and family as soon as possible, and call people that you haven't heard from in a while. Checking in to ask if they are okay will take a few minutes, but it will empower and help the both of you. Tremendous connection can occur when you go through a crisis with someone, so this is a good time to reach out to people who may have drifted away from your closest circle of relationships.

Rebuild Your Routines: This is one of the most important factors to rapidly get life back on track because we draw strength and security from a structured daily routine. To regain strength quickly, identify what normal routines you had before the storm, then get back to them as soon as possible. Even if you are staying in a hotel, shelter, or with family members, stick with the rituals you typically followed before the natural disaster that made up your daily lifestyle. By doing this, you can feel the predictability of previous patterns and routines regardless of the stress of the changes happening around you.

Reach Out in Faith: In times of major crisis, many people turn to spiritualty. Plugging into a faith system after disaster will allow you to release anxiety over the things you feel like you can't control while gaining support from a community of like minded individuals. Dedicate a few minutes each day to quiet meditation and reflection on what matters most. In addition, people of many faith systems have disaster recovery teams, support services, and even financial assistance available to help people cope with crisis. People believe in helping their neighbors, so avoid being "too proud" to ask people for assistance.

Tell Your Story: There is tremendous power in telling your story; healing power for you, and helpful power for others who can gain insight and strength by hearing how creative people can become through the crisis. As you speak up about what happened, it will make it easier for other family members or coworkers to talk about their feelings of loss as well. Things will never be the same as before, but life will go on and we can rebuild and get through it better together. Remember - If you talk through it, you can get through it.

No matter the size of the crisis event, you can find strength after the disaster. Following these practical guidelines will allow you to begin rebuilding your personal and professional life. As you grow stronger, you can tell others, which will encourage them to press on as they rebuild their lives right next to yours. Stronger people create stronger communities. I encourage you to stay with it as you build an even stronger life, family, and community after the storm.

NOTE: You can freely redistribute this crisis management resource, digitally, electronically or in print to help in the psychological recovery efforts provided you leave the authors information intact below.

 

About the Author: Dwight Bain helps people rewrite their story, during times of major crisis or change. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor and Nationally Certified Trauma and Crisis Management Instructor who lives in Orlando with his family. Follow him @DwightBain