Coping with the aftermath
A traumatic event turns your world upside down
Experience shows that after surviving a disaster, people can have a variety of reactions. In spite of the crisis, you can feel happy to be alive. You may feel dazed or numb. You might feel sad, helpless and anxious. It is not unusual to have bad memories or recurring dreams. You might avoid places or people that remind you of the disaster. You might have trouble sleeping, eating, or paying attention. Some people have short tempers and get angry easily. All of these reactions to being flooded are normal human responses.
It will take time before you start to feel better
You might have strong feelings right away. Or you might not react until much later, after the crisis is over. You might notice that you and your family are affected in ways you had not been aware of before. It will take time for you to feel better and for your life to return to normal. Give yourself time to heal, but if you feel concerned that things are not getting better soon enough, talk to your G.P.
These steps may help you feel better
A traumatic event disrupts your life. There is no simple fix to make things better right away. But there are actions that can help you, your family, and your community to heal.
- Follow a normal routine as much as possible.
- Eat healthy meals. Be careful not to skip meals or to overeat.
- Exercise and stay active.
- Help neighbours or other people in your community. Stay busy.
- Accept help from family, friends, co-workers, or clergy. Talk about your feelings with them.
- Limit your time around the sights and sounds of what happened.
- Don’t dwell on TV, radio, or newspaper reports on the crisis.
