How to cope with stress and grief after Hurricane Ian

From the 24/7 news of its impending arrival to the devastating aftermath, Hurricane Ian has left many Florida residents extremely stressed for nearly two weeks – and it’s not over yet.

Therapists with the Florida Behavioral Health Association say they are concerned about the toll it could take on residents both now and in the long term.

CEO Melissa Larkin-Skinner is also CEO of Centerstone of Florida, which operates behavioral health centers in the Sarasota-Manatee Region and Southwest Florida, some of the areas hardest hit by the storm.

She spoke to Health News Florida’s Stephanie Colombini about the impact of Hurricane Ian on mental health:

What emotions might people affected by the storm be feeling right now?

When it comes to stress responses, what we experience really is the gamut. So depression, anxiety, insecurity, restlessness, anger, nightmares, and then there are people who also feel numb.

So I would imagine it as on a continuum. And even one individual’s experience will slide back and forth on that continuum as they experience the level of stress and hardship caused by something like Hurricane Ian.

Resource: Call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 for assistance.

And on top of all that stress, I imagine a lot of grief.

There is so much loss. I would say that every single person affected will experience grief in some way, be it a home and all of their belongings, a loved one, a pet, etc.

I spoke to one of my team the other day, he lives in Fort Myers. And when he heard about Fort Myers Beach and the pier – which was basically just the pylons – he said that’s where they went all the time. So I think one of the things that his family will mourn is the fact that that bond, that activity, will be gone, at least for a while.

And grief is not a linear process. It involves many ups and downs and many different feelings. The best we can do is talk about it. And I know sometimes you’re like, “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” And that’s okay. So stop talking about it. But recognizing and acknowledging those feelings and then talking about them is one of the ways we as humans can deal with them and build resilience.

How can the community help now?

Well, I know there are a lot of resources out there – FEMA, the county governments and local governments. And I’ve heard so many stories, people I know trying to collect supplies, lending out generators, buying people water, giving people shelter — those are the things that we can really do right away to help.

And try to understand each other, that’s the other thing. We don’t know individually what each of us is going through. So try to be understanding when people seem a little snappy or, or on the other hand even cry all the time, be understanding. It’s a painful time, but we can get through it.

What are your concerns about the long-term effects of this trauma? And how can we approach this proactively?

The concern with such events is always that the stress response, some sort of immediate response you have, becomes chronic stress. And the problem with chronic stress or trauma is that physiologically, our bodies begin to break down. And we start to have different kinds of problems like heart disease, increased risk of stroke, trouble sleeping or no sleep at all etc. So if you get the help that you need, talk to others, have a connection, it will make it less likely that it becomes chronic.

I know FEMA is setting up emergency recovery centers and one of the things that is being offered is psychological support, emotional support. So taking advantage of these things when you can is one way to get through this.

My expectation, just because I’ve been involved in similar things before, is that organizations make resources available so we can engage in longer-term support and therapy and try to help communities really recover. Because you can’t reach everyone immediately. There are just too many things happening and some people aren’t ready yet, they’re just trying to cope with surviving. This is why long-term support is also important.

Ways to get and give help

Operated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24-hour counseling and emotional support for people who survived Hurricane Ian and other weather events. The service is available in multiple languages. You can call or send an SMS 1-800-985-5990.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, call 988 to reach the suicide and crisis lifeline.

First responders struggling after the storm can contact the First Responder Support Line, operated by the Florida Department of Children and Families 407-823-1657.

FEMA has a Hurricane Ian webpage with instructions for requesting assistance and other resources.

Here are some ways residents can support members of the community affected by Hurricane Ian.