In the aftermath of the fire season, focus is on recovery and future-proofing for future catastrophes. With all the disasters and traumatic events unfolding around us, you could be forgiven for thinking we are in the middle of some apocalyptic epoch in history.
The Australian Federal government has announced the allocation of $76m for mental health strategies to assist in bushfire recovery, recognising the psychological implications of trauma. Even managing our responses to the never-ending flow of news around traumatic events, along with dire predictions for the future of our planet can impact our resilience.
Learning from Australia’s 2009 bushfires and recent research into reactions to environmental disasters, we can anticipate some mental health challenges ahead. While most of us are able to spontaneously psychologically recover from a traumatic event, one in four people may struggle to regain their resilience and equilibrium. They may benefit from seeking help earlier rather than later to promote their recovery.
This article will help distil some of the available information about understanding that struggle within yourself or those you are close to. It also offers some practical ways to promote recovery.
A final note
Vicarious (or secondary) trauma can happen when people are associated with traumatic events but may not have been directly in the front-line, e.g. mental health professionals, jurors, legal practitioners and emergency service personnel, as well as peer support workers or volunteers in community disaster recovery. It can also impact people working in industries focused on climate change and environmental protections.
It can look like compassion fatigue or present as a trauma response[5]. Those close to people working at the front-line may be vulnerable as well because it is triggered by the disruption of our sense of safety, trust, control, and intimacy when we witness the traumatic experiences of others.
Help is available
The pain associated with the human condition is inevitable, but suffering is not. If you’re struggling emotionally, not feeling like your usual self or can’t seem to find your way back, see your GP or mental health professional. They will help you to access support workers trained in addressing emotional reactions following trauma[6]. Sometimes, what you need is a personal “mentor”, such as a psychologist or counsellor, to guide you through scientifically established strategies to help to get you back on track again.
[1] Centre for Clinical Interventions: Audio Files and Apps
[2] APS: Recovering from Disasters
[3] Phoenix Australia: Trauma Information, Fact Sheets and Booklets; Mental Health Foundation: Post-traumatic stress disorder
[4] Centre for Clinical Interventions: Self Help Resources for Mental Health Problems
[5] 1800RESPECT: Recognising work-induced stress and trauma; Psychology Today: Compassion Fatigue