With Hurricane Irene bearing down on the East Coast and a major earthquake in Virginia, I wanted to share this piece from the Red Cross that we sent out to our clients after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake in Los Angeles. It remains as appropriate today as it was 17 years ago.
What I witnessed following that quake was how are communities came together to respond to the crisis. Americans have always been willing to reach out and help their neighbors and there is no better time than now when this will be desperately needed.
OVERVIEW
If you have encountered a type of stress outside the realm of usual human experiences, you can expect to experience the after effects to varying degrees. The acknowledgment of these emotional reactions helps to shorten recovery time and prevent complications through the natural healing process.
Expected Emotional Reactions:
Sense that life is out of balance
Disbelief, numbness
Flashbacks
Heightened response to noise, surprises; jumpiness
Uncomfortable being alone
Sadness
Difficulty sleeping
Increase or decrease in appetite
Anger, Irritability
Difficulty making decisions and thinking creatively
Forgetfulness
Physical discomfort, aches, cold-like symptoms
Feeling guilty that others have suffered more than you have
Increased use of alcohol and/or drugs
Social withdrawal
Feelings of being “out of control”
Fears of “going crazy”
Recall of past trauma and loss
Loss of feeling secure in the world
Self doubt
Magical thinking, superstition and omens
These reactions are generally temporary. The can vary widely from one day to the next. Don’t be alarmed by the re-emergence of emotional feelings after days, weeks or months. If you have been busy performing necessary tasks after the crisis, you may have a delay in your reaction until you stop being busy. If the reactions persist or cause you extreme discomfort, you should contact a mental health professional.
Self-Help Techniques
Don’t push thoughts and memories of the event away, it is critical to talk about them. Talk with interested listeners about experiences, reactions, and feelings.
Don’t feel embarrassed about a repetitious need to talk to people.
Plan extra time to do usual tasks. You may be distracted and not be able to function as efficiently as usual.
Keep your life in balance.
Eat smart, get extra sleep and exercise.
Balance your work with rest.
Avoid new major projects in life.
Keep a familiar routine with familiar people and surroundings.
Give yourself a break.
Additional Consultation
Do not hesitate to contact a mental health professional whenever the following events occur:
When you or your family have any questions regarding what you are feeling.
If you notice any significant changes in family pattern.
If you are suddenly experiencing physical aches or pains or the aggravation of physical illness (check with your physician first; you might be expressing an emotional discomfort through your body)
Whenever your normal sleep is significantly disrupted.
If you are bothered by persistent sadness, irritability or nervousness.
If substance abuse occurs.
Give yourself time to let the normal healing process unfold; if a gradual reduction in symptoms does not occur, call for assistance.
Finally, laughter and humor does help you get through this. In the classes I was teaching at the time, the students started calling out the magnitudes of the aftershocks. They actually were surprisingly accurate after so many aftershocks. I also remember seeing a sign in front of collapsed apartment building not too far from where I was teaching. It said, “The fat lady has sung.” Finding a smile wherever you can does help to get you through these tough times.
Posted by Bernice Ross, CEO, www.RealEstateCoach.com
This week at RealEstateCoachRadio.com are guest is Jimmy Mackin, the founder of the Real Estate Tech Support Group and a super sharp Gen Y who will be sharing ”An Agent’s Guide to Working with Gen Y.” Here’s what he will be covering:
Monday: Don’t Waste Your Money Advertising to Us
Tuesday: People Share Awesome
Wednesday: We Get Our Information from Each Other
Thursday: Fans and Followers Don’t Buy Homes—People Do
Friday: Being First is Overrated
Tags: Bernice Ross, D.C. Earthquake, disaster recovery, Have a better life, Hurricane Irene, Real estate coaching, Trauma Recovery Guidelines from the Red Cross