Fighting post-hurricane PTSD

Sun Journal (New Bern, NC)

June 01-- Jun. 1--Most people can see the physical destruction caused by a natural disaster like we had here in eastern North Carolina and the surrounding areas due to Hurricane Florence last September.

However, some people also experience mental and emotional destruction due to disasters as well.

According to the website lhsfna.org or Laborer's Health and Safety Fund of North America, 30 to 40 percent of hurricane/natural disaster victims develop PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).

It says that in these instances, PTSD can affect someone's ability to do their job after a disaster, their relationships and how quickly the community can recover from a disaster.

Some in eastern North Carolina are still waiting for insurance repairs to be completed so they can get back into their homes, going on eight months now, which can lead to the disorder lingering.

The website also says that PTSD can affect those that were not impacted by the storm, via survivor's guilt.

Survivor's guilt is the process of being upset/depressed for those friends or neighbors of yours that were harmed/impacted while you were spared.

The APA (American Psychiatric Association) lists five ways that people can handle PTSD after a natual disaster.

1. Stay Informed about new information and developments but avoid overexposure.

2. Learn all the local resources that are available for you.

3. Don't feel like you're alone -- if you get angry or anxious, talk to friends, family or colleagues who are going through the same thing.

4. Piggy-backing on that, keep open dialogues with your children and don't minimize the dangers of a disaster but let them know in time it will pass.

5. While sad feelings after a disaster are natural, if the symptoms continue after order has been restored, consult a phychiatrist in your community.

The website also lists common symptoms/reactions following a destructive event like a hurricane.

Those include: Thinking that no one else is having the same reactions or you feeling alone, having trouble falling or staying asleep, feeling like you have no energy or are always exhausted, feeling sad or depressed, having stomachaches and headaches, feeling like you have too much energy or are hyperactive, feeling very irritable or angry -- fighting with family/friends for no reason, being numb, having trouble focusing on schoolwork, having periods of confusion, drinking alcohol or using drugs to stop your feelings and not having an appetite.

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