Dec 07,2007 00:00 Laurel Hughes, Psy. D. Disasters such as
Oregon’s recent flooding and windstorms often take an emotional
toll on those in the middle of things – but there are a number
of coping strategies that can help ease the situation. Watching
your home become inundated, evacuating to a shelter and
returning only to discover that your house and community have
been heavily damaged -- these increase your stress level. When
you add in speculation about the recovery work to come before
life returns to normal, it can signal emotional overload. During
a disaster, most people cope satisfactorily with situations that
arise. However, during the days following the storm or flooding,
many people enter a state of disbelief. What happened to them
does not seem real. As time goes on, they may face a wide range
of reactions such as anger, sadness, anxiety, confusion, feeling
overwhelmed, forgetfulness, withdrawal, grief reactions,
intrusive thoughts, difficulty sleeping, physical symptoms and
others. All of them are c