LISTEN TO THE RAIN
A SPECIAL REPORT
Flood victims also face a deluge of emotions
COUNSELING
Mike Wurtz and his Red Cross crisis counselors see people when they are shocked, emotional and angry. During the string of disastrous rains statewide, they saw a lot of people.
"They sometimes can feel lost and bewildered and confused. Sometimes, they get sad. Sometimes, they get hysterical," said Wurtz, the Red Cross of Hawaii's disaster mental health coordinator. "It affects relationships. It affects their sleep."
Wurtz and his team visited dozens of flooded-out homes statewide over the course of the heavy rains, offering distraught victims a calm, reassuring word and resources for more help.
They also told victims to be prepared for a slew of emotions as they worked to clean up and rebuild. "When something like this occurs, we do a lot of education and advocacy," Wurtz said.
"We try to go over what they're experiencing. I try to teach these people these responses so that they don't overreact. These are normal responses to abnormal experiences."
Over time, most people return to normal. They are able to sleep, to go to work, to smile and laugh. But some have more lasting anguish, which leaves them depressed or constantly tired.
"If they're not able to manage their normal lives after a period of time, they should go and seek help," Wurtz said.
Children who are having problems moving on after a disaster are usually very quiet, he said, and stop being playful and happy. But parents should not worry too much about kids, Wurtz added, because they are more likely to rebound after a disaster than adults.
Wurtz said that "for the most part" victims of the recent heavy rains have been "recovering well."
He has heard of a few cases that required professional help.
There are some 300 Red Cross-trained crisis counselors statewide, all of whom are volunteers. At any one time, about 20 are available to offer their services to disaster victims.
WHEN TO SEEK HELP
After a disaster, counselors say, it's normal to be upset, anxious or shocked. Those feelings should subside over time.
If they don't, victims should seek professional help. They should also talk to a psychologist or a doctor if they have difficulty eating or sleeping, miss work or can't return to normal functioning.
Children who go through a disaster tend to rebound quickly. A parent should seek help for a child who is suddenly not playful or happy for an extended period of time.
Source: American Red Cross
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