Responding to the Emotional Impact of the Colorado Floods

By Kim Mooney & Julie Thomas.

Reprinted with the Permission of TRU Community Care.

Natural disasters, like the floods and mudslides that we recently experienced here in Colorado, can impact us in ways that we can’t imagine. Losses of this scope strike at the heart of our vulnerabilities as humans at the mercy of nature. Whether the tragedy impacted our homes and family directly or we were fortunate enough to watch the waters recede without much damage, we are in the largest sense a part of it and may be more impacted by it than we recognize. With news coverage bringing the images of the destruction and the faces of the survivors into our homes each day, it becomes something very intimate and something very surreal. Each new report adds weight to the story of our human frailty and resilience—the traumatic stories of death and the heroic rescue efforts, the lack of resources and the national responses to supply basic survival needs, the isolation of survivors and the relentless attempts to reach them, the years it will take to fully recover and the immediate rebuilding efforts.

It is important that we recognize and respect how much impact these images and stories may have on us, particularly when they are folded into the rest of the stresses in our lives. No traumatic event happens in isolation; it is received in us as part of the whole of our experience. While the weight and ongoing input of the coverage impacts each person differently, it is probably most important to be aware of the ways we may be impacted that don’t connect directly to these events. Natural and normal responses to events involving life loss and destruction may include:

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  • Questioning basic beliefs about everything
  • Intense feelings of all kinds
  • Feelings of general hopelessness, fear, frustration, sadness
  • Sense that things feel out of control
  • Sense of loss of safety
  • Desire for structure and regularity

Sleeping and eating disturbances

  • Worsening of pre-existing problems
  • Lethargy
  • Distressing dreams
  • Need for comfort and assurance

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Those who have been personally involved in natural disasters in the past may find themselves retriggered and righteously in need of more active therapeutic assistance to manage their distress. How can we respond meaningfully and responsibly to this massive calamity? First of all, it is important to understand how much “news” you can take in without becoming overwhelmed, incapacitated or numb. It may be important to hear or read some of the stories of hope, of success efforts, of people found. Monitor your children’s TV time and talk to them honestly and age-appropriately about the situation and the things that are being done to help the survivors. Ask them questions to see what they understand which could be specific concerns for them.

Secondly, consider what ways you and your family can actively respond and participate in making a difference to the recovery and rebuilding efforts. Despair and depression diminish our ability to feel hope or help ourselves or others; action is the antidote. Make a financial contribution to an organization that you know and trust is helping; donate your time and energy to something that supports the relief efforts. Encouraging children to do something positive relieves anxiety and teaches them productive coping skills.

Finally, if, as studies are now showing, good wishes, meditation and prayer can impact the well-being of others, then our active and intentional efforts in sending hope and encouragement are also important supports, for ourselves and the direct victims of the destruction. A key to living with tragedy is balance, allowing the times of sadness to come, and appreciating the moments when we can laugh. There is only one gift that comes out of all major catastrophes and that is the opportunity to remember how unpredictable life is and to use that knowledge to live with more gratitude and consciousness every day.

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