Heightened emotional responses. These include many different types of emotions, but especially sadness, anger, anxiety, depression and frustration. These emotions may fluctuate dramatically, ranging from feeling emotionally numb to being extremely upset.
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Flashbacks may occur for no obvious reason. These flashbacks (intense, vivid memories of previously experienced trauma) are often accompanied by panicky feelings. Rapid heartbeat, raised blood pressure, sweating, wanting to run away, and other stress responses are not unusual. For many, recurrent distressing memories of 9/11 will be triggered.
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Due to emotional flooding, the ability to concentrate, make decisions or deal with change may be overwhelming. Simple decisions may feel complex; maintaining focus may feel like a Herculean task.
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Basic behavioral patterns, such as sleeping and eating may be affected. Nightmares, interrupted sleep, disorientation, lack of appetite and overeating are typical symptoms of stress and trauma.
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Relationships with loved ones may become strained. Under stress, some people become more irritable, while others just want to be left alone. Both can increase the distance felt between loved ones.No matter what you are feeling, however, be aware that it's typical for reactions to change over time. Some people are very emotional at the beginning, while others have delayed reactions. Some are energized by the challenge of coping, but later become discouraged or depressed. Some are initially paralyzed by fear, but then are energized to action. Several factors will affect the time needed for emotional recovery. They are:
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The degree of intensity and loss. Events that are more traumatic, pose a greater threat and involve substantial losses usually take more time for one to heal.
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A person's resiliency. Those who are generally more resilient recover faster than those who are not.
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Events that preceded the traumatic experience. The more stress you have in your life, the more difficult it is to deal with "one more thing." If you are finding it hard to deal with the emotional aftermath of Katrina, here are a few ideas to help you cope better.
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Take a news break. Watching endless replays of footage from the disaster can increase your stress level. Although you'll want to keep informed, especially if you have loved ones affected by the disaster, it still makes good sense to take frequent breaks from watching the news.
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Keep things in perspective. Although a disaster like Katrina is horrifying, remember to keep things in perspective by also focusing on the good things in life.
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Find a productive way to help. Contribute money or other aid to victims of the hurricane. Such actions can be a way to help others, while minimizing the sense of helplessness that so many of us feel. Disasters and the emotions that they stir up within us, take their toll, even when we do not connect our everyday emotional experiences to far away events and their emotional memory.
