How to Heal Emotional Wounds after Disaster Disasters are distressing. Continued global warming due to human activities keeps adding fuel to the fires, leading to floods, hurricanes, and other natural calamities. The trauma that follows after the disasters strike leaves huge scars to the victims that take long to heal. Here the question arises, what can be done to heal this post-disaster trauma? To answer this question, the Center for Public Integrity and their partners in newsrooms, in conjunction with Columbia Journalism Investigations and California Health Report, conducted a detailed survey on this issue. The team has gathered a lot of insights from asking experts, victims of disasters or witnesses, and professionals who study this or come in to help. From the survey, here are some key takeaway points to note: 1. Be aware. Being aware might seem straightforward, but you’re a step ahead if you’re aware that coming out of a disaster and dealing with the long repercussions can be hard on your mental health. Being aware means keeping an eye on not just obvious symptoms like constant worrying, or short-tempered, but also trouble sleeping, or oversleeping, lack of appetite or overeating, and excessive drinking. It is also crucial to be aware that kids can feel the repercussions too, and might start having trouble in school. The effects could be felt right away or might take a while to come out. In both times, it’s normal and can stay put. 2. Seek support. Most respondents in the survey had not acquired or sort for any mental health support services after coming out of the disaster; some citing they couldn’t afford therapy or other related assistance, others thought they didn’t need it, as others wondered if support would have made the hard times more bearable.
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The Power Is Now Magazine | OCTOBER 2020
