Emotional Costs of Natural Disasters

With more than three months remaining in 2023, there have already been a record 23 weather-related natural disasters that caused at least $1 billion each in damages according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. People have lost their homes, all their possessions, and often family members and pets in these fires, floods, hurricanes and tornadoes.

As the number of natural disasters increases, thousands more people will be faced each year with the heart-wrenching reality of rebuilding—often from nothing. How they will rebuild, not only their homes but their lives, will be a challenge.

I understand what it takes to recover from these sudden, traumatic events. I experienced my own healing and rebuilding process after losing my home in the fire that ravaged southern California in 2018.

Your first reaction when faced with a devastating loss after a natural disaster is being grateful that you’re still alive. That’s a powerful, important emotion. However, the enormity of the loss quickly sets in. Where will I live? How will I pay my bills? What about all my family photographs and mementos? How can I recover important documents? What will insurance pay for? What about my lost medications? The questions are endless and overwhelming.

You can't do everything yourself. Reached out, as most of us would instinctively, to family and friends, and then to various relief agencies. But beyond these resources, reach out to your "anchors"--those activities, those communities, that make up everyday life. For me, it was work, church, dance classes, and the people involved in them.

Do your best to continue with the activities and hobbies you did before, your anchors. Maintaining your pre-disaster routines can be not only comforting but literally life-sustaining. My church community gave me everything from gently used clothes to kitchen utensils to blankets. It’s through my dance community that I was offered a place to live. People from work gave me gift cards. I learned that people are truly amazing, even those we might consider strangers. You will be surprised at how many of the people you engage with are eager to lend support.

Accept the rollercoaster of emotions that follows a disaster as part of your normal recovery process and don’t hesitate to take part in recovery groups or individual therapy. You'll feel angry, frustrated, helpless and hopeless. That’s part of the healing process. You’ll never get back the physical things you lost in the disaster—family photos, mementos and other cherished items. That’s a tough reality, but as hard as things are now, you have an opportunity to create a new chapter that can fill your life with new memories. You can rise from the ashes, stronger and better than before.

Phoenix Rising - Surviving Catastrophic Loss: Fires, Floods, Hurricanes and Tornadoes, by Amazon.