Finding food, staying warm, and coping with power outages are still
primary challenges for many who’ve weathered the worst of Hurricane
Sandy. But psychologists warn that the mental effects of dealing with
such challenges can be pretty powerful forces in their own right.
Henri Roca, MD, medical director of Greenwich Hospital’s Integrative Medicine Program
in Greenwich, Connecticut says it’s about more than just turmoil and
uncertainty. The upheaval brought about by a natural disaster can change
how you view the world.
“We go through life with a map in our mind of how the world works and
how our life works within that world,” Dr. Roca says. “When natural
disaster strikes it calls into question or even destroys the validity of
that mental map.”
Dr. Roca, a New Orleans native who helped survivors cope with
Hurricane Katrina stress before he relocated to Connecticut, notes that
symptoms of stress include listlessness, helplessness, and
indecisiveness. Feelings of fear and anxiety are also common, as are
changes in appetite, sleep, and general mood.
Here, he offers the following tips for holding it together in tough times.
1. Eat healthy. You may be dealing with food shortages and
food storage issues, but do your best to eat well. Stay away from sweets
and simple carbohydrates, which are likely to feed rather than tame
your stress. Focus on getting enough protein, which Dr. Roca says is
needed to make neurotransmitters, the chemicals that help bolster your
sense of resilience.
2. Keep Moving. Exercise boosts mood and helps you face
challenging situations. If your gym is currently out of commission, lace
up your sneakers and go for a walk or run. But if outside conditions
are still too dangerous, do some push-ups, sit ups, and jumping jacks at
home to elevate your heart rate and burn off some anxiety. (For those
with Internet access, consider downloading this awesome tabada workout, which requires no equipment and very little space.)
3. Relax. It’s OK and even desirable to remain busy, but it’s
also important to stay calm so your activity doesn’t become rushed,
frantic, and unfocused. It’s also a good idea to take a break once in a
while to listen to music, meditate, pray, or even just sit quietly.
4. Re-prioritize. Remember, possessions are just
things. If you lost items of sentimental value like photos or family
mementos, remind yourself that you didn’t lose the memories and emotions
attached to them. Be grateful for what you have left, Dr. Roca advises,
and know that the things you need must take precedence over the things
you want, at least for the time being.
5. Don’t isolate yourself. Seek out other people. Talk to
neighbors. Visit friends and family. Volunteer to help others if you can
and ask for help if you need it. As Dr. Roca points out, people need to
pull together during tough times. To the extent that those affected by
Sandy can build on this sense of community and get back to normal, it
can be an opportunity for people to grow and even develop a sense of
accomplishment because of what they’ve been through.
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