{"id":35294,"date":"2024-03-01T13:56:37","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T20:56:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=35294"},"modified":"2024-05-13T09:49:30","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T15:49:30","slug":"tips-for-coping-with-natural-disasters-and-talking-with-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/tips-for-coping-with-natural-disasters-and-talking-with-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Coping with natural disasters: Talking to children and dealing with anxiety"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Parents
Emergency preparedness for kids should include emotional health. When anxiety and fear become part of everyday conversations, parents need to take action and respond. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Natural disasters, such as wildfires and floods, can cause serious physical damage. But it also causes anxiety and fear in children and adults and that’s why emotional health as well as physical wellbeing needs to be part of your emergency preparedness plan.<\/p>\n

Here are some tips on how to cope with anxiety and manage your daily life with hope, optimism and courage during natural disasters. As well as advice from experts on how to talk with your children about natural disasters.<\/p>\n

Tips for coping with anxiety from natural disasters<\/strong><\/h2>\n

1. Sleep well and write down your worries<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cOne problem we hear a lot of is that nobody feels like they\u2019re sleeping well,\u201d says\u00a0Dr. Steven Berkowitz<\/a>, professor of psychiatry with the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Director of the CU START Center. \u201cChronically not sleeping well can make you more irritable, more tired, less energetic, and is something that people should really pay attention to and just not accept.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Berkowitz recommends setting time aside in the late afternoon to write down your worry list. If you can focus on your worries in the afternoon and compartmentalize them, chances are better that they won\u2019t intrude on your sleep at night.<\/p>\n

Joanna Stratton, Ph.D<\/a>., a psychologist at the\u00a0UCHealth A.F. Williams Family Medicine Clinic<\/a>, suggests protecting your sleep from technology. It\u2019s easy for us to lay in bed reading negative news stories or mindlessly scrolling through our social media feeds. But that habit before bed can interfere with your body and mind relaxing and falling asleep.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re having a hard time and relaxation strategies are not working, try a sleep aid like melatonin or other sleep medication for a period of time, says Berkowitz. \u201cNo one should feel that they need to be brave and not use sleep aids at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Find things that bring you joy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Focus or finding things that make you feel proud joyful or connected. Whether it\u2019s reading a book in the afternoon or watching videos of your children when they were babies, these activities can alter your mood and mindset.<\/p>\n

\u201cFocus on the times you feel nourished or uplifted, and experiment doing those activities to the extent that they are helpful,\u201d says\u00a0Sona Dimidjian<\/a>, Ph.D., director of the Renee Crown Wellness Institute in Boulder and professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado.<\/p>\n

Take breaks from work or activities that feel like work. Schedule time for fun, Dimidjian recommends, and keep fun sacred from the things that are not fun. You can also try a simple activity to boost happiness by highlighting Three Good Things each evening. Click\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0to learn how.<\/p>\n

3. Give yourself credit<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We\u2019re all trying the best we can, but sometimes it feels like all we\u2019re doing is worrying and not accomplishing anything.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the mistakes that most of us make is we don\u2019t realize what we\u2019re doing [and accomplishing], and we minimize our activities,\u201d says Berkowitz. \u201cI think it\u2019s important for people to take the time to realize all the things they\u2019ve actually done and not set unrealistic expectations for themselves.\u201d Everything we are accomplishing now takes more planning because our lives are not running as usual, and we need to acknowledge that we are doing more work than we usually do.<\/p>\n

4. Pay attention to your feelings so you can make appropriate changes<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Dr. C. Neill Epperson<\/a>, professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, says to pay attention to your negative feelings so you can figure out strategies to mitigate them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard when it\u2019s this big mass of horribleness,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can\u2019t attack individual issues and create coping strategies if the distress is that nebulous.\u201d Do you feel miserable because you\u2019re not sleeping well? Is it a lack of privacy? Is it boredom? Once you realize the root of your negative feelings, you can take that information and problem solve.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we try to move past the bad feeling. But it\u2019s a good idea to stop and pay attention to and not try to distract yourself all of the time. Feeling bad is a message, it\u2019s information you can use to help you find your way forward,\u201d says Epperson.<\/p>\n

5. Find ways to connect in an authentic way<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Social support and connection are integral to our lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the most important things we\u2019re pushing people to do is to interact in authentic ways with friends and others. It\u2019s good to share stresses and things that have worked in terms of being helpful and things to avoid. It\u2019s good to problem-solve together,\u201d says Berkowitz.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s helpful not just to think we\u2019re in this together but also to hear from your close friends and family members that they\u2019re going through similar stresses and issues as you, says Berkowitz.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re social animals, and whenever we\u2019re overwhelmed, or whenever we want to celebrate, we come together. The more of that that we can do, reasonably and safely, the better.\u201d Is your husband driving you crazy? It\u2019s helpful to hear that your friends\u2019 husbands are equally as irritating.<\/p>\n

6. When should you seek professional help?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While feeling stressed and anxious is common these days, if you\u2019re not able to function, you may need to see a behavioral health expert. \u201cThe number one criterion that is on almost any mental health disorder is not being unable to function in one\u2019s life as compared to previous functioning,\u201d says Stratton.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s maintaining a relationship, parenting a child, keeping a job, paying bills, sleeping, if you\u2019re feeling impaired, it\u2019s time to get help. Epperson adds that if you\u2019re feeling consistently depressed and panicky, call your primary care doctor or get help from a mental health care provider. If you are having suicidal thinking, don\u2019t wait. Tell someone and get help immediately.<\/p>\n

And, if you\u2019re not sure whether you need help or not sure if you\u2019re in worse shape than others, there\u2019s no harm in talking with someone and getting checked out. A mental health check-up can help ward off more serious problems in the future, Epperson says.<\/p>\n

\"Smoke
Smoke fills the sky over Fort Collins, due to the Cameron Peak Fire, the largest in Colorado’s history. Wildfire and evacuations can lead to increased fear and anxiety. Emergency preparedness for kids should consider emotional health as well as physical wellbeing. Photo: Joel Blocker Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Emergency preparedness for kids<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Christina Gerteis, a licensed counselor with UCHealth Mountain Crest Behavioral Health Center in Fort Collins<\/a> worked in Louisiana when Hurricane Katrina devastated that area. Gerteis was working in Coclorado when giant plumes of smoke<\/a> billowed west of Fort Collins from the Cameron Peak Fire, the largest wildfire in Colorado history.<\/p>\n

Gerteis offers insight and tips on emergency preparedness for kids related to their emotional and behavioral health.<\/p>\n

\u201cI absolutely err on the side of talking about it if you live in an area where there is a risk,\u201d she said. \u201cIf it\u2019s something your kids are going to see or hear on the news, then it makes sense to talk about it. The more children feel prepared and can talk about these things, the less traumatic stress they might experience later because they are able to cope more effectively and get support from others. However, if your risk is very low, I wouldn\u2019t necessarily have these conversations on an ongoing basis.\u201d<\/p>\n

1. Start with yourself<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Just like the flight attendant advises you to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting your child, the same is true in other crises, Gerteis said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou really need to take care of yourself first before you can support your kid, as they are learning how to cope by looking at those closest to them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

This also means not neglecting your mental or physical health.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of time, as adults, we do engage in avoidance behaviors, such as zoning out in our own ways with screens, technology, social media,\u201d Gerteis said. \u201cIt\u2019s good to take a step back from those things and find something like yoga, meditation or taking a walk \u2014 and take your kids with you. It will be good for the whole family.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Let your child take the lead<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Gerteis advises parents to let their children take the lead. Don\u2019t let your own fear or anxiety drive these conversations. Your child might not being feeling fear or anxiety, so try to avoid projecting your feelings onto them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why it is so important to talk with others in your community to keep your own fears in check,\u201d she said. \u201cFind out what is really going on to determine if your worries are accurate before you move on to discussing those feelings with your kids.\u201d<\/p>\n

In both adults and children, these normal crisis reactions tend to last about three to six weeks. If feelings of fear and anxiety continue longer, it may be a sign that the person is struggling and needs professional help.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are going to be typical, yet difficult, feelings, and that\u2019s why talking and normalizing those feelings are so important,\u201d she said. \u2018But if those feelings are not subsiding within three to six weeks, it may be a good indicator that additional support may be helpful. What we know about PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and traumatic stress is that early intervention is important for keeping symptoms at bay that can often impact our work, school, family, and close relationships in negative ways if left unaddressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Consider the child\u2019s age; keep it accurate<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cYounger kids are going to need different support than adolescents, who have stronger abilities with processing and thinking,\u201d Gerteis said. \u201cAge and development are important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Younger kids will need more time to rest or play during talks. They\u2019ll need support and encouragement in verbalizing their feelings. And it\u2019s important that the adult validates what they are saying and feeling.<\/p>\n

Older children, on the other hand, are more cognitive in processing and exploring their feelings, and if they can do that, Gerteis said, that\u2019s a good time to correct any misconceptions they may have.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe assume that they are more aware of what is happening, but they also tend to have less background on which to base their feelings,\u201d she said. \u201cDiscuss what they know and make sure you\u2019re well informed to correct any distortions they may have about what is going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Working collaboratively with other adults around your children \u2014 teachers, coaches, babysitters, neighbors \u2014 to make sure that everyone is sharing the same accurate information also is important.<\/p>\n

4. Talk about which ‘normal’ feelings may occur<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not abnormal for young kids to act out or show regressive behaviors, such as bed-wetting or tantrums, during crisis situations.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone is going to have to be more tolerant of potentially regressive behaviors that might not have shown up for a while,\u201d Gerteis said. \u201cThis is how they express their internal feelings \u2014 which like ocean waves swell and become choppier for a period of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

With older children, she said to discuss with them what they, and those around them, may be experiencing. Talk about how it can be stressful, and that it\u2019s not abnormal to find yourself more irritable and anxious.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet them know that everyone is going through this and may experience those feelings, and it\u2019s valid and OK,\u201d Gerteis said.<\/p>\n

5. Anticipate the transitions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When there is ample time before a possible evacuation, take that time to prepare for the transition of leaving the home.<\/p>\n