Newswise — Hurricane season may be almost over at the end of November but the mental health storm of repercussions is not. The United States has been bombarded with hurricanes this year including the latest-Hurricane Katrina. It's been twelve long weeks for the people affected by this last mighty hurricane.
Besides destruction, hurricanes have brought a lot of fear to the people that live in storm prone areas. The shock of a powerful storm targeting and rampaging through your once safe home and neighborhood is unimaginable to most. And when it does hit, it can wipe away everything a family has built over a lifetime, leaving them homeless and sometimes emotionally unstable.
Disasters like Hurricane Katrina can be traumatic. Many people suffer significantly from these events and are left feeling helpless. Traumatic events not only affect survivors and rescue workers but also their friends and relatives. According to the Center for Disease Control fear, grief, anxiety and depression may set in. Physical and behavioral responses can include nausea, dizziness, changes in appetite, disturbed sleep patterns and social withdrawal. Responses to trauma can last for weeks to months before victims start to feel normal again. Most people report feeling better within twelve weeks after a traumatic event. But sometimes the problem can become worse or last longer than one month. If this occurs then the person may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Mount Sinai Medical Center has a team of experts that can talk in depth about the mental health challenges that natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and other traumatic events are causing victims and their families. Dr. Rachel Yehuda, Ph.D. is a professor of psychiatry and the Director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She is also an active researcher in the field of post-traumatic stress just like Dr. Claude Chemtob, Ph.D. He specializes in trauma in adults and children. Dr. Chemtob is a clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He is also involved in the Children After Trauma Care and Health Program (CATCH) at Mount Sinai.
RSS