GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - After the devastating fires that swept through Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, Famsa has become aware that there is still a need for information regarding trauma, and acting director Karin du Plessis has supplied the Knysna-Plett Herald with the following information:
What is trauma?
It is the exposure to actual or threatened death, or serious injury.
Even if you were not exposed, just knowing someone who was, causes anxiety. This disaster was unanticipated and our usual protective mechanisms did not work out as expected.
The traumatised person
- Every person is different and experiences trauma differently. Distressed but resilient people recover quickly but may still experience the responses for a while afterwards.
- Some people talk about the event, others may choose not to – nobody should be forced to speak about the incident.
- Emotions experienced are normal.
- Emotions that may be experienced are shock, disbelief, anger, guilt, sadness, frustration, helplessness and depression.
Posttraumatic responses after the incident
Tiredness, nightmares, mood swings, memory failure, concentration problems, too much sleep, inability to sleep, muscle tension, social withdrawal, and flashbacks of the event.
These responses happen to most people and they will pass. If they persist, professional help must be sought for an assessment. Some people may experience some or none of these responses. This too is normal.
Coping strategies
Reach out and ask for help, cry if you want to, talk about the experience should you have the need to, exercise, prayer or meditation, write about the event, rest, listen to music and eat balanced meals, try and maintain a routine as before the event if possible.
Should distress persist over a longer period this could lead to anxiety and depression.
Children
Research has shown that children are influenced by how their parents are affected by the event.
After fires in Australia, children were assessed and after 26 months it was found that these children had higher distress levels than before. This was as a result of parents feeling anxious and unsafe.
Children need to feel safe so they need to be reassured.
Try and limit the images they see about the event, allow them to talk, but do not force them and be patient.
Famsa encourages all parents and caregivers to reach out and receive trauma support or the relevant information from counsellors or therapists trained in trauma support.
This will help equip you emotionally to help your children.
* Please contact Famsa at 044 533 0515 in Plett or 044 382 5129 in Knysna for further assistance or information.
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