First, let me start out by saying, my heart goes out to the people of Moore, Oklahoma. It seems a week doesn’t go by anymore without some kind of disaster going on in some part of the world.
While watching the news coverage, I noticed the reporters kept saying how they were seeing the storm victims wondering around the streets like zombies, with no emotion and nowhere to go.
I think it’s important for people to understand the victims are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or more commonly known as PTSD.
Most people tend to associate PTSD with veterans who have been deployed into dangerous war zones an witnessed death and destruction, but PTSD can result from any trauma.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is described as a serious potentially debilitating condition that can occur in people that have experienced or witnessed a …
- natural disaster
- serious accident
- terrorist incident
- sudden death of a loved one
- war
- violent personal assault such as rape
- childhood abuse such as physical, sexual, or emotional
According to the latest statistics, 7.7 million Americans suffer from PTSD.
If you know someone who experienced the devastating tornado in Moore, here are a few resources to help you understand the signs and effects of PTSD.
- Michele Rosenthal is a trauma survivor and a Post-Trauma Coach. You’ll find many resources on her site. She also has a great radio show, Changing Direction.
http://www.changeyouchoose.com/
http://www.changeyouchoose.com/radio/archives/
- Aphrodite Matsakis, Ph.D., a specialist on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder wrote the book, I Can’t Get Over It: A Handbook for Trauma Survivors.
- The Red Cross offers mental health services as part of their disaster recovery program.
http://www.redcross.org/find-help
- To understand what the children are going though, Operation Safe posted this graph on Facebook.
And of course… if you would like learn more about PTSD, just Google it. You’ll find endless information and resources.
Keep Shining!
