Mental stress part of hurricane's aftermath
Last Update: 9/2/2005 9:19:47 PM

Scenes of violence, frustration and desperation line the path of destruction left by Hurricane Katrina. (Police in Hattiesburg, Miss., say post-hurricane Katrina stress in a dispute over ice was likely responsible for a man fatally shooting his sister.) As law enforcement officials struggle to regain order and resume recovery efforts, mental health experts are warning that the chaos is likely to trigger emotional fallout that can lead to depression, anxiety and even abuse.

The fury of the storm¦ is being replaced by the fury and frustration of survivors. Many already at their breaking point, at high risk for long term effects like post traumatic stress disorder.

Dr. Jack Naftel is a child psychiatrist at the University of North Carolina: œYou also see substance abuse increase, depression increase; you see a variety of anxiety problems." Problems which research out of the university suggests can put the littlest victims at risk for physical abuse. Head injuries caused by child abuse were five times more common in the hardest-hit counties in the six months after Hurricane Floyd, which struck North Carolina in 1999, than before the storm.

Dr. Desmond Runyan is a child abuse researcher at UNC: œPeople who out of frustration and lack of support, they just run out of gas. They can't take it any more. They need the child to be quiet and they shake them." According to Runyan, accidental head injuries were ten times higher. œIt's a public health emergency; lots of issues that need to be tended to, not least of them is the issue of child safety."

Dr. Naftel says simple things like re-establishing a routine can help both children and adults cope. œEven do some things that distract you from the immediate disaster. If you can play a game with a child and get your mind off of those sorts of things."

And keep in mind, experts say, that signs of mental trouble may not show up for months, though for many the effects seem immediate. Research also suggests that partner abuse increases in the aftermath of natural disasters.  Mental health experts note that counseling and other support services may not be available to most victims at this time, but say something as simple as giving parents an hour break away from their children can make a big difference.
Mental health experts note that you don't have to be a hurricane victim to feel the stress. They recommend limiting television time especially for children.

ON THE WEB:
The American Psychiatric Association has resources on their website for victims and for those feeling anxiety: www.psych.org .