“Coping emotionally and getting through a storm all center around preparation,” says professor Alan E. Stewart, weather and climate psychologist at the University of Georgia College of Education. “To the extent that people’s planning — and action on those plans — is on par with the effects of the storm, then people can feel like they are effectively managing the effects of the hurricane.”
Empty shelves of bread and canned goods aren’t just a sign of last-minute hurricane cravings—the purchases are also a coping mechanism, Stewart says. Preparing for a major weather event such as a hurricane can help lower your stress level in advance of the storm and also help you feel better when dealing with the aftermath.
For example, if people experience power and water interruptions, then relying on their supplies put aside before the storm may make the aftermath of a hurricane seem more manageable. “People feel like they will get through it,” he added.
“Planning and acting on those plans helps people to cope with feelings of anxiety and uncertainty by doing something concrete that will preserve and protect their home and belongings,” said Stewart. “People can try to cope and manage by doing what things they can accomplish—controlling those things they can and realizing, often painfully, what they can't control in the days and weeks following the storm.”
Stewart can be reached at [email protected] or 706-542-1263 to discuss the issue further.
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