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 Centre for Addictionand Mental Health |
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About Mental Health & Addictions
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Coping with Traumatic Events: Global Disasters Create Difficult and Uncertain TimesBoth natural and human caused disasters can create times of uncertainty for everyone. Those people who have experienced other traumas such as car accidents, death of loved ones, past war events, violence and/or assault can also feel an increased sensitivity to world events. While recognizing that people may feel increased anxiety, it is important to realize that during these times we can do much
to take care of our family, our communities and ourselves. The following provides some basic information as well as ways
to cope with the stresses of these events. What can people do to help themselves feel calmer?
What symptoms would indicate that someone is experiencing more anxiety than normal? Because natural and human caused disasters are stressful events, feeling some anxiety is normal and to be expected. If, however, you have any of the following symptoms, you may be experiencing the effects of trauma:
If you are experiencing these symptoms, please see your family doctor or mental health professional. Also, if your ability to work and relate to other people is affected (such as difficulties at work with concentration or anxiety levels); you are constantly thinking about the traumatic event; you are watching excessive amounts of television; and/or you no longer enjoy the activities you used to enjoy, you may want to speak with a health care provider. It is also important for friends and colleagues of people who have experienced trauma to be sensitive as to how their associate may be experiencing particular stress at this time. Provide support, be respectful and lend a listening ear whenever possible. If you are in need of additional help and would like someone to talk to besides friends or family, many cities have distress centers. The telephone numbers for these help lines are usually listed in the front of your local telephone book. If you are experiencing long periods of anxiety that begins to affect your work and family life, you should contact your family doctor or other health care provider. The company or organization that you work for may also have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which provides employees with counselling from trained professionals. If you are experiencing extreme anxiety over the situation or any physical symptoms, go to your nearest emergency department of your local hospital. If you are located in Toronto, you can contact the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's emergency department at our College Street site. What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? Posttraumatic stress disorder, often referred to by its initials, PTSD, is a condition lasting for three months or longer, in which a person has been exposed to a traumatic event in which severe physical or emotional harm has been experienced (for example, serious accident, natural disaster, assault, childhood, sexual, physical, or emotional abuse or severe neglect). For people who have PTSD, even something as simple as repeatedly watching news coverage can trigger or retrigger symptoms. Symptoms can include emotional numbness, sleep disturbances including nightmares, exaggerated emotional or physical reactions to triggers that remind the person of the event, irritability or outbursts of anger, difficulty concentrating and exaggerated startle response (the sudden jump or twitch that happens in response to any unexpected noise, touch, or sight.) People who have PTSD may re-experience their trauma, have distressing recollections of the event and feel as if the event were recurring while awake. For further information about posttraumatic stress disorder, see the Canadian Mental Health Association website at http://cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-94-97&lang=1. Some additional resources that may be of help regarding PTSD:
If someone is from a country where they have experienced a natural disaster, war or some other form of trauma, how might they be affected? People who have survived a natural disaster, war, political unrest or torture in their native country may be experiencing particular difficulties. Previous experiences with trauma may be triggered or retriggered as people who have experienced trauma in the past may be more vulnerable to the effect of another traumatic experience. If you are experiencing difficulties, please contact your family physician, other health care providers or a member of your clergy or community group for assistance. For newcomers to Canada, CAMH produces "Alone in Canada" a multilingual booklet that provides suggestions on how to deal with issues that face those new to the country. The Canadian Mental Health Association has pamphlets on a variety of topics and in a variety of languages including Farsi/Dari, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Somali, Serbo-Croatian, Tamil and Urdu. Please see their web site at http://cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=4-42-211&lang=1 . Other resources that may be of help for PTSD as a result of war, torture or resettlement:
What can be done to help children cope with the situation? There are many web sites with recommendations on how to help children of all ages deal with the situation of a natural disaster or global conflict. One recommendation made by many experts is to limit children's exposure to coverage on the news. Special care should be taken to talk with children and adolescents about their feelings and thoughts about the tragedy. In response to children's questions, adults can reassure them that they are safe and provide information that is appropriate to the child's age and maturity. Some additional resources that may be of help for teachers, parents and families are:
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Last updated: Mar 13, 2008 3:55 PM Published: May 16, 2008 8:29 PM ID#P9485 |