Hurricane Katrina is one of the nation's worst natural disasters. The loss of life and destruction seems immeasurable. Today, in the aftermath of Katrina, the focus of caregivers must be the stabilization of injury and illness and, ultimately, the preservation of life. As the nation rushes to help, by addressing the physical and safety needs of survivors, we must not overlook the myriad victims of the hidden trauma - traumatic stress. Traumatic stress refers to the feelings, thoughts, actions and physical reactions of individuals who are exposed to, or who witness, events that overwhelm their coping and problem-solving abilities. Traumatic stress disables people, causes disease, precipitates mental disorders, leads to substance abuse, and destroys relationships and families.
The manner in which an individual responds will be based upon a number of variables including pre-trauma factors (e.g., a history of mental illness, prior traumatic exposure, substance abuse, etc.), characteristics of the traumatic event (e.g., the severity, proximity, etc.), and post-trauma factors (e.g., having the opportunity to “tell his story,” level of familial support, etc.). The personal meaning that an individual ascribes to the hurricane will also influence his/her response. Helping people to understand how traumatic events affect them, gives back a sense of control that seems to have been taken away in the face of a traumatic experience. For instance, helping people to know that certain reactions are normal, in the wake of an abnormal event, helps to validate disturbing feelings. (Scott Reeves, 31-08-2005)
When people face a traumatic event, some experience emotional shock. They’re anxious, nervous and sometimes even panicky—while others, feel nothing…just numbness. Both reactions are very common and both are very normal. Some people experience denial, where they don’t seem to know that something really bad has happened. Denial is a mechanism that prevents people from feeling too much, too quickly..........
