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A hurricane, earthquake, tornado, or other natural disaster can turn lives upside down. Such a traumatic event can leave survivors with health problems and economic challenges. The damage from a natural disaster can also lead to serious mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. With hurricane season underway, below is information on how to care for your own mental health, as well as your family's, before and after a storm.

Preparing for a Storm

It is important to mentally prepare yourself and your family for a storm. Take these steps to reduce the anxiety that is associated with hurricane season:

• Create a Family Plan — Being prepared can help reduce anxiety before a storm, as well as reduce chaos during and afterward.
  
• Stay Informed — Pay attention to the current hurricane information, including warnings for your area. Awareness of up-to-date information will help you gain a sense of some control over the situation.
  
• Talk It Out — Share your fears with family members, friends, a counselor, or other people for support, if you feel the need.
  
• Accept What You Can't Control — Nobody can control the path of a hurricane or the damage it leaves. Prepare as well as possible; create an evacuation plan; and compile hurricane kits. And understand that dwelling on the notion that a hurricane may hit will not change anything except your emotional well-being.

Get more information about preparing for your family's health related to a natural disaster.

Coping After the Storm

It is natural to feel sad, scared, anxious, nervous, or depressed after a natural disaster. Many survivors of a hurricane will experience emotional and physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, insomnia, and nausea for days or even weeks afterward. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a number of actions you can take to help cope with the stress and anxiety associated with natural disasters:

• Understand that your symptoms, although distressing, may be normal, especially right after the storm.
  
• Keep to your usual routine as much as possible.
  
• Do not shy away from situations, people, and places that remind you of the storm.
  
• Find ways to relax and be kind to yourself.
  
• Try not to take on extra burdens that will add to your stress.
  
• Turn to family, friends, and clergy person for support, and talk about your experiences and feelings with them.
  
• Participate in leisure and recreational activities.
  
• Recognize that you cannot control everything.
  
• Contact a health professional or local mental health center if your symptoms persist for more than a few weeks and interfere in your daily life.

Read more information from the CDC about coping with a traumatic event..

Prolonged Anxiety and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

If you have tried the coping mechanisms above and anxiety symptoms persist after several weeks, you may be experiencing the condition known as posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. This is a serious and potentially debilitating condition, but it is treatable.

Posttraumatic stress disorder is characterized by three main types of symptoms:

• Re-experiencing the trauma through intrusive distressing recollections of the event, flashbacks, and nightmares.
  
• Emotional numbness and avoidance of places, people, and activities that are reminders of the trauma.
• Increased arousal such as difficulty sleeping and concentrating, feeling jumpy, and being easily irritated and angered.

PTSD is diagnosed after a person experiences symptoms for at least one month following a traumatic event. However symptoms may not appear until several months or even years later.

Women are twice as likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder as men, and children can also develop it. PTSD often occurs with depression, substance abuse, or other anxiety disorders. Read more about PTSD.

Helping Children Recover

A key element in a child's recovery from a traumatic event is the support received from parents, teachers, and other adults. Below are tips to help a child recover.

• Anticipate needs. Take the initiative and approach children to talk about their feelings and concerns about a traumatic or scary event before they bring it up. It is easier for children if the adults anticipate their needs and open up the lines of communication, particularly in difficult times. This also sends the message that a topic is okay to talk about with adults.
  
• Use candor, but with discretion. This should be the theme of any adult-to-child communication about traumatic incidents. Be honest, but give details and explanations at a level appropriate to the child's cognitive and emotional capacity. It is healthy and advisable to begin with limited sharing that allows for future elaboration.
  
• Let kids know how you feel. While adults dealing with children in distress should maintain a moderate level of composure, it is often helpful to let children know that adults also experience upsetting feelings. Children need to know that adults are sometimes scared and seek support from those around them and that it is okay to hurt, but that the pain does get better with time.
  

Most children and teenagers are resilient and will return to normal functioning following a natural disaster. If a child's distress continues to interfere with daily function after a few weeks, it may be time to seek professional help. Signs of distress include not sleeping or eating; excessive clinging; re-experiencing the event through nightmares, recollections, or play; emotional numbing; or persistent fears about disaster. If a child is experiencing these symptoms, seek the assistance of a school counselor or other mental health professional.

Read more about coping following trauma.

Find out more about anxiety disorders in children and teens.

Seeking Professional Help

If you or a loved one is experiencing the symptoms of PTSD described above, it may be time to seek professional help. Find mental health professionals in your area.

A variety of treatments are for available for PTSD and other anxiety disorders. Read about treatment options, including questions to ask a therapist.

Mental Health Resources

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Disaster Planning and Preparedness

American Red Cross
Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCourage to Care
Department of Homeland Security
Federal Emergency Management Agency
National Hurricane Center

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