Disaster Psychology

After a disaster everyone is picking up the pieces and trying to get life back to normal as soon as possible. It is important to be aware of your emotional needs as well. The links below can provide you with some important information to help everyone get back on track.

*Coping with Disaster

Be aware—Disaster may cause highly emotional responses among family members.

Normal responses include:

Numbness, apathy, or depression
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Anxiety, restlessness, irritability, fear
Disorientation
Sleep disturbance
Fatigue

Prepare—You can reduce the emotional impact of a disaster by being prepared. Practice your evacuation plans. Make sure your supplies are in order and emergency contact information is up-to-date. You can’t take away the feeling of shock after a disaster, but you can reduce the feeling that everything is out of control.

Respond—After you and your family are out of danger, sit down together and collect yourselves. Limit family discussion to today's needs. Avoid discussions of long-term issues of recovering from the disaster.

Mental Health Survival Tips