Coping With Disaster

If a disaster or state of emergency ever takes place in Boston, much will be asked of city residents as officials attempt to manage the situation. Participation by residents in the recovery effort will be crucial and will require that people be aware of and deal with the stress of an emergency situation. The following information is meant as an overview of what is known as traumatic stress – a normal response that can occur in individuals during times of great stress.

Turn on the evening news or pick-up the morning paper and sometimes it’s easy to think that disasters or emergencies only affect “someone else”. The truth is that when terrible things happen in our neighborhood, even if it doesn’t affect us personally, it can have a deep influence on us all. Living in a constant state of fear, worry, and anger can have damaging effects and also lead to traumatic stress.

Traumatic stress is a response anyone can have when faced with an extraordinary event that threatens a person’s feeling of safety. When this response fails to go away, it is commonly referred to as post-traumatic stress disorder.

A traumatic event can have an impact on everyone at some level. A negative impact can occur when a person experiences the trauma directly, or when a person witnesses the trauma happening to another. For example, some people, including children, were affected by the constant airing on TV of the collapse of the Twin Towers after the attacks of September 11th.

There is a wide range of responses – some small, some severe – that can occur in response to a traumatic event. Reactions can occur shortly after an event, but also can occur weeks, even months later. Traumatic stress reactions can change a person’s behavior, thoughts, and physical health. The following is a list of some common reactions that can occur in children, adolescents, and adults.

There is no specific timeline in which these reactions will go away. They often do get better over time. If you find yourself or your child experiencing difficulties that get in the way of school, work or family life, ask for help. Seek help from family, clergy, or your health care provider.

• Traumatic stress reactions happen to healthy, strong people – they are not signs of weakness.
• Traumatic stress reactions are normal reactions to an extraordinary event.
• When explaining bad events to children, provide accurate information. Children often have misunderstandings or misinformation that you can correct. Teenagers often pretend that things don’t bother them so it is important to reach out to them.
• Talk about your feelings. Connecting with friends, family and spiritual leaders can offer support and help relieve stress.
• Take positive actions to gain a sense of control. Do things that have a positive effect on your life, the lives of others, and your community.