Why Mental Health Support is Critical in Disaster Recovery
Natural disasters flip human expectations of safety on their head. People who have previously led lives free of mortal kind neglect are forced to reconcile a difficult notion: there are some things that are completely beyond your control—powerful forces capable of changing your life in a second.
There are a lot of things that need to happen in the wake of a natural disaster. Connecting survivors with mental health support is not always the first priority. It is, however, an important step.
In this article, we take a look at why mental health support is important in the wake of a natural disaster.
How Do Natural Disasters Impact Human Life?
That's an important first question: How do natural disasters impact human life? There is the obvious element of physical risk in the immediate aftermath of a tornado, earthquake, tsunami, etc. Recovering from injury and ensuring physical safety is the immediate priority.
There is also a clear financial risk. Buildings are destroyed, property is lost, and entire economies are shut down for weeks, months, or even longer. Dealing with the economic aftermath of a natural disaster is often the second most pressing priority.
There's also a social order aspect that comes into play in certain natural disasters. Increased rates of crime, looting, and homelessness are all factors that need to be addressed at the societal level, and often this is of equal importance to our first two considerations.
Still relevant, however, is the long-term fallout. When people experience the stress of a natural disaster, they are exposed to several very impactful forms of emotional anguish that can have a lasting impact. In the next few headings, we take a look at what these experiences are and why they should be taken seriously.
Depression and Anxiety
The moments leading up to a natural disaster, as well as the experience itself, produce enormous levels of cortisol and adrenaline in the human brain. These are the chemicals responsible for your fight-or-flight response, and they are a very natural reaction to a natural disaster. It's what essentially creates the feeling of motivation in your body to do something about the oncoming threat—get yourself to safety, prepare adequately for the emergency at hand.
The trouble is that, sophisticated though our body's fight-or-flight response might be, it's also an imperfect tool. Your body may continue producing heightened levels of cortisol and adrenaline long after the event itself has passed, leading to prolonged feelings of stress, anxiety, and possibly even depression.
Receiving the services of a psychotherapist can help you navigate the often confusing and challenging emotional aftermath. It's the aftermath of a natural disaster.
The Possibility of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder is simply a condition in which lingering experiences of trauma persist after the event itself. It's a condition that is characterized essentially by intrusive thoughts and memories. You might be going about your day when, all of a sudden, you're triggered unexpectedly by feelings that are very similar to those you experienced during your initial trauma.
Post-traumatic stress disorder can stem from a wide variety of experiences, though it is frequently reported by veterans. PTSD can result from natural disasters as well. Although the science behind this condition is not fully understood, the essential underlying belief is that trauma very literally alters a person's brain chemistry, causing them to react unpredictably to certain situations.
While the effects of PTSD can linger even with proper treatment, counseling can help provide powerful coping mechanisms that equip the sufferer with a healthy response system to stress.
The Possibility of Loss
It's also just the case that many people who have been in a natural disaster situation were exposed to some form of loss. This could be human loss—the death of a friend or family member. It could be material loss—life-altering property damage or financial difficulties. It could be a loss of community, where the place you lived your life is now unrecognizable to you.
In all of these cases, the intervention of a counselor can be a powerful path forward. Professional therapeutic services can help a victim of a natural disaster both better understand and process their feelings regarding the experience.
Regaining a Sense of Normalcy
Finally, even in the absence of clinical post-traumatic stress disorder, many people who have survived a natural disaster will simply struggle with feeling safe and at peace again. If a tornado can come from out of nowhere once, what would stop it from happening again?
These feelings of lingering uncertainty are very normal, but they can keep a person from living a productive and emotionally balanced life. The vast majority of people who experience a natural disaster will feel some form of what we've described here.
The question of whether or not professional intervention is strictly necessary is a subjective one, but in the majority of cases, speaking with a mental health professional can at least accelerate your emotional recovery time.
Conclusion
Many people are reluctant to seek the help of a mental health professional, though mental health services have come a long way in terms of social acceptance. Even people who believe generally in the concept of seeking help will struggle to apply that concept to their own lives.
This reluctance is a natural reaction, but also a limiting one if you want to get your life back on track as quickly as possible. At least a one-time session with a mental health professional can go a long way toward getting you there. You don't need to be in counseling sessions twice weekly. A visit or two with a professional will be enough for most people to acquire the coping mechanisms necessary to take the next step forward.
There's nothing wrong with seeking help. In many cases, it's the fastest path to the solution you want—to the experience you already know you want. Be brave. Ask for help.