Mental health post-hurricane issues are plenty. We’ve all heard the term post-traumatic stress, but what does it mean, and how does it affect you? Dr. Bart Rossi, PhD appears on WINK News to offer some insights.
With hurricane Dorian pounding the southeast, many were worried about themselves and loved one in the already affected areas or forecasted areas. If it hits, how much damage will be done? Will our insurance cover it? Can we recover? How will it impact and disrupt our busy lives?Post-traumatic stress is real. Some suffer from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) after the event. But, a looming hurricane can cause anxiety before it ever arrives. Will the hurricane affect me? Will it affect my family in another area? We’re drawn to the news, even though the havoc being caused in preseeding areas makes us want to look away. But, like an accident on the side of the road, we can’t. We’re drawn to it.How does one know they are suffering from it, and what can they do to deal with it?
According to the Mayo Clinic,Post–traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
When you experience a traumatic event or even the possibility of one — such as will the hurricane hitting your area –, it plays on the mind.
The symptoms of PTSD that one may experience include:
- Re-experiencing the trauma through intrusive distressing recollections of the event, flashbacks, and nightmares.
- Emotional numbness and avoidance of places, people, and activities that are reminders of the trauma.
Mental Health Post-Hurricane
In this short episode on WINK News clinical psychologist, Dr. Rossi, PhD talks about what to expect, and what to do about it.
