To help set yourself up to cope, acknowledge your mental health — and the emotions you’re feeling — even as you’re dealing with the situation. Simple coping mechanisms can shift your mindset to a more meditative state amidst the chaos and trigger the brain to release hormones that will help to regulate the nervous system, Rittenhouse says.
“Existing in a constant state of fight-or-flight causes exhaustion, anxiety, difficulty nourishing and sleeping properly, and impairs immune functioning, none of which will help coping and rebuilding in the weeks and months to come,” says Margot Rittenhouse, a licensed professional clinical counselor who treats patients with anxiety, generalized mental health issues, and eating disorders as director of clinical services with Alsana, and is based in Los Angeles.
In other words, taking care of your mental health now allows you to better deal with the challenges ahead.
Here are some ways you can cope when you’re living through a natural disaster.
1. Allow Yourself to Feel the Feelings
“Allow the brain and body to do the work to process what has happened,” Rittenhouse says. “This is part of the process of grieving and coping. It is uncomfortable, and it is necessary.”
2. Take Things One Step at a Time
Don’t try to tackle everything all at once — that’ll just leave you feeling overwhelmed and in a heightened state of stress, Yadush says. “Instead, prioritize safety and basic needs before long-term planning,” he says.
Tackle the physical stress you’re feeling as well. A helpful goal is to move from the fight-or-flight state into a more regulated one, Rittenhouse says.
“When you’re within hours or days of experiencing a traumatic natural disaster, important skills to tap into are mindfulness, grounding, and deep breathing,” she says.
3. Lean on Others for Support
The support of those around you could protect your mental health. “It provides emotional validation, practical assistance, and a sense of belonging, which can be a buffer against feelings of isolation and helplessness,” Yadush says.
As weeks pass, volunteers and offers from loved ones may wane, but the need for support doesn’t necessarily go away. “Do not feel ashamed or hesitate to communicate your needs regardless of the time that has passed,” Rittenhouse says.
4. Limit News and Social Media Consumption
5. Return to Your Routine
6. Engage With the Community Around You
“Community engagement and acts of service can be incredibly healing as they offer connection and highlight the resilience of our humanity,” Yadush says.
7. Avoid Making Major Decisions
Of course, if you’ve been displaced, you may have no choice but to decide where to move or rebuild. In those instances, approach the decision carefully and seek input from your social circle when your decision-making abilities aren’t at their peak, Yadush says.
8. Be Honest With Little Ones
“You want to provide them with a sense of stability and normality amidst the uncertainty, but this can sometimes cause more harm than good if that promise turns out to be untrue,” Rittenhouse says. Saying “I hope our home or school will be okay” rather than “Our house or school will be fine” is a more helpful approach, Rittenhouse says.
9. Talk to a Professional
“Recovery doesn’t follow a straight line, and struggling months later is not ‘wrong’ or a sign of failure,” Yadush says. Allow yourself grace and space as you grieve and cope, Rittenhouse says.
The Takeaway
- Living through a hurricane, wildfire, flood, or other natural disaster can leave you feeling stressed, anxious, fearful, or guilty.
- While there are plenty of immediate logistical to-dos, it’s important to take care of your mental health during the disaster rather than kicking it down the line.
- There are several expert-suggested ways to cope, including giving yourself permission to feel the emotions that come up, getting back to your usual routine, and taking part in the community’s recovery efforts.
