Natural disasters can be traumatic. Experiencing a dangerous or violent flood, storm, wildfire, or earthquake is frightening and the devastation to the familiar environment can be long lasting and distressing. Here are some steps that individuals can take for themselves and their families to mitigate and lessen the mental health impact felt by the community.

1. After Hurricane Sandy
James Korman. PsyD, ACT
Director
Behavioral Health & Cognitive
Therapy Center

2. After Sandy
• Common Reactions
• What can be done about them
• When to seek help

3. Common Responses
• Occur whenever exposed to or witness
potentially life threatening events
• Usually resolve in a matter of weeks or
a few months

4. Emotional Reactions
• Shock • Helplessness
• Terror • Loss of pleasure
• Irritability • Difficulty feeling
• Blame happy
• • Emotional numbing
Anger
• • Grief or sadness
Guilt
• Vulnerability
Source: The National Center for PTSD
US Dept of Veterans Affairs

5. Thinking Reactions
• Problems with • Self-blame

Concentration • Intrusive

Making decisions thoughts/memories

Memory • Worry
• Disbelief • Tunnel vision,
• Confusion dreamlike or
• Nightmares "spacey" feeling
Source : The National Center for PTSD
US Dept of Veterans Affairs

6. Physical Reactions
• Fatigue, exhaustion • Headaches
• Insomnia • Stomach upset
• Easily startled • Decreased appetite
• Hyper or geared up • Decreased libido
• Sensitive to:

pain

Heat

Cold
Source : The National Center for PTSD
US Dept of Veterans Affairs

7. Interpersonal Reactions
• Argumentative • Distrust
• Social withdrawal • Over-protectiveness
•
• Impaired • Decreased
work/school satisfaction
performance
Source : The National Center for PTSD
US Dept of Veterans Affairs

8. Resilience
• Increased sense of what is important
Family

Friends

Community

• Reduced reaction to daily problems
• Improved coping
• Improved view of the future
Source: Academy of Cognitive Therapy

9. What to do
• Recognize reactions as normal
• Develop and keep a routine
• Keep perspective

What have you gained
• Values
• Coping
• Family
• Friends
• Community

Keep a list and add to it Source: American Psychological Association

10. What to do
• Spend time with family and friends
• Help someone else

Random acts of kindness
• Bring coffee
• Make a meal
• Help with clean up
• Volunteer
• Donate
• Do your hobbies/interests/exercise
• Talk about it Source: American Psychological Association

11. What not to do
• Repeatedly watch/listen to news reports
• Not speak about it
• Isolate yourself
• No major life changes if possible
• Don’t try to escape thru

Drinking

Drugs

Burying oneself in work
Source: American Psychological Association

12. When should I Seek help
• Not returning to normal after • Continually arguing with
six weeks those close to you
• No one to share your • Isolating yourself more and
feelings with more
• feel overwhelmed by • Work is suffering

sadness,

anxiety • Those around you suggest

nervousness you seek help
• Having nightmares and
• Drinking, smoking too much,
cannot sleep
or using drugs to cope with
your feelings.
Source: Royal College of Psychiatrists

13. Where to get Help

Treatment
• SMG – Behavioral Health & Cognitive Therapy Center
– 908-277-8900
• NJ Psychological Association
– 973-243-9800
• Assoc Behavioral Cognitive Therapies – abct.org
• Academy of Cognitive Therapy – Academyofct.org

Information
• Redcross - www.redcross.org
• CDC - http://emergency.cdc.gov
• NIMH - www.nimh.nih