Disaster Related Stress- What to Know

What is Disaster Related Stress

It is common to feel stress symptoms before or after a crisis. Natural and human-caused disasters can have a devastating impact on people’s lives because they sometimes cause physical injury, damage to property, or the loss of a home or place of employment. Anyone who sees or experiences this can be affected in some way. Most stress symptoms are temporary and will resolve on their own in a fairly short amount of time. However, for some people, particularly children and teens, these symptoms may last for weeks or even months and may influence their relationships with families and friends.

Who is at Risk?

For those who have lived through a natural or human-caused disaster, the anniversary of the event may renew feelings of fear, anxiety, and sadness. Certain sounds, such as sirens, can also trigger emotional distress. These and other environmental sensations can take people right back to the disaster or cause them to fear that it’s about to happen again.

Disasters have the potential to cause emotional distress. Some people are more at risk than others:

Survivors living or working in the impacted areas (youth & adults)
First Responders and Recovery Workers
Women and Girls at Risk of Intimate Partner or Family Violence

Common Signs and Symptoms

Common warning signs of emotional distress include:

Eating or sleeping too much or too little
Anger, feeling edgy or lashing out at others
Overwhelming sadness
Pulling away from people and things
Not connecting with others
Lack of energy or always feeling tired
Feeling like you have to keep busy
Having unexplained aches and pains, such as constant stomachaches or headaches
Feeling helpless or hopeless
Excessive smoking, drinking, or using drugs, including prescription medications
Worrying a lot of the time; feeling guilty but not sure why
Thinking of hurting or killing yourself or someone else
Having difficulty readjusting to home or work life

Tips for Reducing Disaster Related Stress

Take Care of Yourself and Your Loved Ones

Take care of yourself. Try to eat healthy, avoid using alcohol and drugs, and get some exercise when you can—even a walk around the block and deep breathing can make a difference to relieve stress.
Reach out to friends and family. Talk to someone you trust about how you are doing.
If you have children, talk to them. They may feel scared, angry, sad, worried, and confused. Let them know it’s okay to talk about what’s on their mind. Role model healthy coping.
Limit your consumption of news. We live in a society where the news is available to us 24 hours a day via television, radio, and the Internet. The constant replay of news stories about a disaster or traumatic event can increase stress and anxiety and make some people relive the event over and over. Reduce the amount of news you watch and/or listen to.
Get enough “good” sleep. Some people have difficulty falling asleep after a disaster or wake up throughout the night. If you have trouble sleeping, only go to bed when you are ready to sleep, avoid using cell phones or laptops in bed, and avoid drinking caffeine or alcohol at least one hour before going to bed. If you wake up and can’t fall back to sleep, try writing what’s on your mind in a journal or on a sheet of paper.
Establish and maintain a routine. Try to eat meals at regular times and put yourself on a sleep schedule to ensure an adequate amount of rest. Include a positive or fun activity in your schedule that you can look forward to each day or week.
Avoid making major life decisions. Doing things like switching jobs or careers can already be stressful and are even harder to adjust to directly after a disaster.
Understand there will be changes. Disasters can destroy homes, schools, and places of business and worship and can disrupt the lives of people living in affected areas for a long time. Sometimes, people lose loved ones or experience injuries, both physical and mental, that may last a lifetime. Some people may also experience a temporary or permanent loss of employment. For children, attending a new or temporary school may result in being separated from peers, or after-school activities may be disrupted.
Take care of pets or get outside into nature when it’s safe. Nature and animals can help us to feel better when we are down. See if you can volunteer at a local animal shelter—they may need help after a disaster. Once it’s safe to return to public parks or natural areas, find a quiet spot to sit in or go for a hike.
Know when to ask for help. Signs of stress can be normal, short-term reactions to any of life’s unexpected events—not only after surviving a disaster, but also after a death in the family, the loss of a job, or a breakup. It’s important to pay attention to what’s going on with you or with someone you care about, because what may seem like “everyday stress” can actually be: depression (including the thoughts of suicide), anxiety, or alcohol/drug abuse.

Suquamish Tribe Wellness Disaster Distress Helpline Native Wellness Institute YouTube