Coping With A Disaster : What You Might Experience

It is not unusual to have physical and emotional reactions to a traumatic event.

Physical

• Rapid heart beat
• Difficulty breathing
• Chills or sweating
• Nausea or vomiting
• Weakness or fatigue
• Change in appetite
• Increased sensory perception,
  hyper vigilance
• Difficulty in sleeping
• Headaches

Emotional

• Fear or panic, confusion or poor
  concentration
• Denial, disbelief
• Withdrawn from family and/or friends
• Anger, guilt, suspicion
• Reoccurring thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares
• Difficulty making decisions
• Need for information
• Reluctance to abandon property
• Rejection of outside help

How do Families Cope with Disasters

• Recognize the way you react to the event is not unusual.
• Try not to make big life changes.
• Talk to family members and friends.
• Listen to one another; help each other with daily tasks.
• Try to achieve a balance between rest and activity.

Emotional Problems: After a disaster

Emotional problems following a disaster are a result of problems in daily life and not from personal reactions or poor coping skills.

Problems can include:

• Dealing with the emotional reaction of family members.
• Family and marital problems including domestic violence.
• Uncertainty about insurance coverage or the need to borrow money because of insurance shortfall.
• Reconstruction strains and delays.
• The discomfort and lack of privacy of having to live in shelters, damaged homes, motels or with relatives.