Trauma from the windstorm can linger
Published 6:27 pm Monday, November 24, 2008
December’s windstorm earned a formal disaster declaration from the city and profoundly impacted both individual and community functioning. Although it’s inappropriate for reasons of magnitude to compare our hometown disaster to the likes of Katrina or Sept. 11, there nevertheless are similarities. All share the potential to impart trauma — the normal reaction of people experiencing a terrifying situation over which they have no control.
Trauma is a natural process of delaying reaction to an event so overwhelming that not all aspects of it are able to be felt, expressed or dealt with during the moment. When facing a severe threat, the brain resorts to basically “scanning” or “photographing” everything occurring at the time to support the rapid warehousing of information it is not prepared to fully experience. Later, this material can create certain “triggers” which cause the person to feel like she/he is re-experiencing the trauma. Anyone involved in an automobile accident who later experiences anxiety triggered by driving is likely being affected by such a process.
Although the trauma response is natural, the experience is not universal.Some people are deeply affected, while others tend to take events in stride. Similarly, the outcome of the experience will make some stronger, while others could be devastated for a period of time. The impact on us can depend on the scope of the disaster, our internal and external resources and our vulnerabilities from previous trauma.
Another factor related to how we cope with trauma is our age. Children and teens who have not experienced environmental trauma lack the “template” from which they can make sense of their experiences. Thus, some youth must work their way through these novel events “from scratch.”
So as parents, guardians, or caregivers of youth who may have experienced some trauma (or delight) in the windstorm, what can we do to honor and support their natural coping skills? And, how do we recognize when children might need extra help?
How you can help:
Adults can be listeners. Although it is tempting to push youth to talk about their feelings and experiences to “get out the bad feelings,” it is usually unnecessary. More appropriately, listen to what they have to say without being tempted to search for the “right” feeling or piece of advice. Should a profound loss have occurred, be mindful that grief can last much longer than the traumatic event itself and be triggered by unexpected situations, thoughts or events.
Next, talk about your own experience of the storm. Sharing your thoughts and feelings implies permission for youth to discuss the events themselves. Furthermore, you can demonstrate that it can be done without a need to “say the right thing.” If your child has something to talk about, they usually will do so at their own pace — allowing the process to unfold naturally supports and validates their instinctive coping skills.
Lastly, avoid unnecessary changes. Just after a traumatic event, your child has plenty of new material to experience and integrate; further changes in routine could destabilize their emotional foundation.
When to seek help?
Youth experience things differently and trauma comes in many shapes and sizes. So, as warning signs can very greatly between individuals, notice those changes over the following weeks and months that seem markedly different from the child’s normal behavior:
Most of these symptoms are short-lived, if they manifest at all. However, if problems persist or worsen, then professional support may be indicated.
On the whole, it is important that children have permission to experience trauma by allowing the pacing, content, and nature of their coping process to be self-directed unless warning signs indicate professional support. It is also important to honor our children’s natural coping ability by not assuming that powerful or terrifying events necessarily create lasting trauma. In fact, for the many youth who stood up to the challenges of the recent storm, why not reflect on their strengths and honor their resiliency? Recounting their coping skills in the face of the storm and its aftermath is a loving way to help them build a healthy “template” they can use for reference when facing traumas in the future.
Derek Franklin, MA, LMFT is an individual and family therapist with the Mercer Island Youth & Family Services (MIYFS). For more information about counseling services at MIYFS, contact Gayle Erickson, clinical supervisor, at 236-3525.
