How to Cope With Natural Disasters

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If you have experienced a natural disaster (such as a tornado or hurricane), it is very important to learn ways of coping with the impact these events can have.

Natural disasters have the potential to produce high levels of stress, anxiety, and anger in those who are affected. They are considered to be traumatic events and can potentially trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in survivors.

Unlike other traumatic events, natural disasters can result in tremendous destruction of property and financial loss, which further contributes to stress levels and disrupts coping efforts.

For example, a tornado or hurricane can destroy and disperse an entire community, thwarting their attempts to connect with social support.

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Ways to Cope With Natural Disasters

Though the effects of natural disasters can be severe and far-reaching, there are steps you can take to cope. Here are some ways you may be able to reduce the trauma of a natural disaster.

Symptoms of PTSD

It is important to recognize that it is very normal to experience PTSD-like symptoms in the aftermath of a traumatic event.

You may experience intrusive thoughts or memories of the traumatic event, feel on edge, or have difficulty sleeping. These symptoms are, in many ways, the body’s natural reaction to being exposed to (and surviving) a highly stressful event.

Coping With Upsetting Memories

Healthy Coping Strategies

Symptoms naturally dissipate over time for most people who experience a traumatic event such as a natural disaster. Coping in a healthy manner further increases the likelihood that these symptoms will improve.

However, engaging in unhealthy coping strategies (for example, drinking alcohol or other methods of avoidance) can increase the possibility that these symptoms will linger and potentially get worse—eventually resulting in aPTSD diagnosis.

Healthy coping strategies are key to recovering from a natural disaster.

Getting Help

If you notice that your symptoms are not getting better and arebeginning to interferewith aspects of your day-to-day life, it may be time to get help.

If you decide to start therapy, finding a qualified mental health provider can be an overwhelming and stressful task. Fortunately, there are websites with free search tools that canhelp you find therapistsin your area who are trained to treat PTSD.

Even if you don’t feel as though your symptoms are interfering with your life, it can still be beneficial to talk with someone. A qualified and compassionate mental health professional can offer support and resources while you work through the stress of the aftermath of a natural disaster.

A therapist can also help you develop problem-solving skills to help you get your life back in order after the event, which takes some of the strain off you. The additional support and tools may prevent the development of PTSD or another trauma-related condition.

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We’ve tried, tested, and written unbiased reviews of thebest online therapy programsincluding Talkspace, BetterHelp, and ReGain. Find out which option is the best for you.

The Psychological Toll of Repeat Hurricane Exposure Should Not Be Overlooked

9 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tracy M, Norris FH, Galea S.Differences in the determinants of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression after a mass traumatic event.Depress Anxiety.2011;28(8):666-75. doi:10.1002/da.20838Warsini S, West C, Ed tt GD, Res meth GC, Mills J, Usher K.The psychosocial impact of natural disasters among adult survivors: an integrative review.Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2014;35(6):420-36. doi:10.3109/01612840.2013.875085Hackbarth M, Pavkov T, Wetchler J, Flannery M.Natural disasters: an assessment of family resiliency following Hurricane Katrina.J Marital Fam Ther.2012;38(2):340-51. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2011.00227.xKim SH, Schneider SM, Kravitz L, Mermier C, Burge MR.Mind-body practices for posttraumatic stress disorder.J Investig Med.2013;61(5):827-34. doi:10.2310/JIM.0b013e3182906862North CS, Ringwalt CL, Downs D, Derzon J, Galvin D.Postdisaster course of alcohol use disorders in systematically studied survivors of 10 disasters.Arch Gen Psychiatry.2011;68(2):173-80. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.131Feder A, Ahmad S, Lee EJ, et al.Coping and PTSD symptoms in Pakistani earthquake survivors: purpose in life, religious coping and social support.J Affect Disord.2013;147(1-3):156-63. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.10.027Briere J, Hedges M.Trauma Symptom Inventory.The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. January 2010. doi:10.1002/9780470479216.corpsy1010Zhang W, Liu H, Jiang X, Wu D, Tian Y.A longitudinal study of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and its relationship with coping skill and locus of control in adolescents after an earthquake in China.PLoS ONE.2014;9(2):e88263. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088263Lopes AP, Macedo TF, Coutinho ES, Figueira I, Ventura PR.Systematic review of the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy related treatments for victims of natural disasters: a worldwide problem.PLoS ONE.2014;9(10):e109013. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109013Additional ReadingArnberg FK, Bergh Johannesson K, Michel PO.Prevalence and duration of PTSD in survivors 6 years after a natural disaster.J Anxiety Disord.2013;27(3):347-52. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.03.011Hussain A, Weisaeth L, Heir T.Psychiatric disorders and functional impairment among disaster victims after exposure to a natural disaster: a population-based study.J Affect Disord.2011;128(1-2):135-41. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.018

9 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tracy M, Norris FH, Galea S.Differences in the determinants of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression after a mass traumatic event.Depress Anxiety.2011;28(8):666-75. doi:10.1002/da.20838Warsini S, West C, Ed tt GD, Res meth GC, Mills J, Usher K.The psychosocial impact of natural disasters among adult survivors: an integrative review.Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2014;35(6):420-36. doi:10.3109/01612840.2013.875085Hackbarth M, Pavkov T, Wetchler J, Flannery M.Natural disasters: an assessment of family resiliency following Hurricane Katrina.J Marital Fam Ther.2012;38(2):340-51. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2011.00227.xKim SH, Schneider SM, Kravitz L, Mermier C, Burge MR.Mind-body practices for posttraumatic stress disorder.J Investig Med.2013;61(5):827-34. doi:10.2310/JIM.0b013e3182906862North CS, Ringwalt CL, Downs D, Derzon J, Galvin D.Postdisaster course of alcohol use disorders in systematically studied survivors of 10 disasters.Arch Gen Psychiatry.2011;68(2):173-80. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.131Feder A, Ahmad S, Lee EJ, et al.Coping and PTSD symptoms in Pakistani earthquake survivors: purpose in life, religious coping and social support.J Affect Disord.2013;147(1-3):156-63. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.10.027Briere J, Hedges M.Trauma Symptom Inventory.The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. January 2010. doi:10.1002/9780470479216.corpsy1010Zhang W, Liu H, Jiang X, Wu D, Tian Y.A longitudinal study of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and its relationship with coping skill and locus of control in adolescents after an earthquake in China.PLoS ONE.2014;9(2):e88263. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088263Lopes AP, Macedo TF, Coutinho ES, Figueira I, Ventura PR.Systematic review of the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy related treatments for victims of natural disasters: a worldwide problem.PLoS ONE.2014;9(10):e109013. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109013Additional ReadingArnberg FK, Bergh Johannesson K, Michel PO.Prevalence and duration of PTSD in survivors 6 years after a natural disaster.J Anxiety Disord.2013;27(3):347-52. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.03.011Hussain A, Weisaeth L, Heir T.Psychiatric disorders and functional impairment among disaster victims after exposure to a natural disaster: a population-based study.J Affect Disord.2011;128(1-2):135-41. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.018

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Tracy M, Norris FH, Galea S.Differences in the determinants of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression after a mass traumatic event.Depress Anxiety.2011;28(8):666-75. doi:10.1002/da.20838Warsini S, West C, Ed tt GD, Res meth GC, Mills J, Usher K.The psychosocial impact of natural disasters among adult survivors: an integrative review.Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2014;35(6):420-36. doi:10.3109/01612840.2013.875085Hackbarth M, Pavkov T, Wetchler J, Flannery M.Natural disasters: an assessment of family resiliency following Hurricane Katrina.J Marital Fam Ther.2012;38(2):340-51. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2011.00227.xKim SH, Schneider SM, Kravitz L, Mermier C, Burge MR.Mind-body practices for posttraumatic stress disorder.J Investig Med.2013;61(5):827-34. doi:10.2310/JIM.0b013e3182906862North CS, Ringwalt CL, Downs D, Derzon J, Galvin D.Postdisaster course of alcohol use disorders in systematically studied survivors of 10 disasters.Arch Gen Psychiatry.2011;68(2):173-80. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.131Feder A, Ahmad S, Lee EJ, et al.Coping and PTSD symptoms in Pakistani earthquake survivors: purpose in life, religious coping and social support.J Affect Disord.2013;147(1-3):156-63. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.10.027Briere J, Hedges M.Trauma Symptom Inventory.The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. January 2010. doi:10.1002/9780470479216.corpsy1010Zhang W, Liu H, Jiang X, Wu D, Tian Y.A longitudinal study of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and its relationship with coping skill and locus of control in adolescents after an earthquake in China.PLoS ONE.2014;9(2):e88263. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088263Lopes AP, Macedo TF, Coutinho ES, Figueira I, Ventura PR.Systematic review of the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy related treatments for victims of natural disasters: a worldwide problem.PLoS ONE.2014;9(10):e109013. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109013

Tracy M, Norris FH, Galea S.Differences in the determinants of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression after a mass traumatic event.Depress Anxiety.2011;28(8):666-75. doi:10.1002/da.20838

Warsini S, West C, Ed tt GD, Res meth GC, Mills J, Usher K.The psychosocial impact of natural disasters among adult survivors: an integrative review.Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2014;35(6):420-36. doi:10.3109/01612840.2013.875085

Hackbarth M, Pavkov T, Wetchler J, Flannery M.Natural disasters: an assessment of family resiliency following Hurricane Katrina.J Marital Fam Ther.2012;38(2):340-51. doi:10.1111/j.1752-0606.2011.00227.x

Kim SH, Schneider SM, Kravitz L, Mermier C, Burge MR.Mind-body practices for posttraumatic stress disorder.J Investig Med.2013;61(5):827-34. doi:10.2310/JIM.0b013e3182906862

North CS, Ringwalt CL, Downs D, Derzon J, Galvin D.Postdisaster course of alcohol use disorders in systematically studied survivors of 10 disasters.Arch Gen Psychiatry.2011;68(2):173-80. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.131

Feder A, Ahmad S, Lee EJ, et al.Coping and PTSD symptoms in Pakistani earthquake survivors: purpose in life, religious coping and social support.J Affect Disord.2013;147(1-3):156-63. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2012.10.027

Briere J, Hedges M.Trauma Symptom Inventory.The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology. January 2010. doi:10.1002/9780470479216.corpsy1010

Zhang W, Liu H, Jiang X, Wu D, Tian Y.A longitudinal study of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and its relationship with coping skill and locus of control in adolescents after an earthquake in China.PLoS ONE.2014;9(2):e88263. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088263

Lopes AP, Macedo TF, Coutinho ES, Figueira I, Ventura PR.Systematic review of the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy related treatments for victims of natural disasters: a worldwide problem.PLoS ONE.2014;9(10):e109013. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109013

Arnberg FK, Bergh Johannesson K, Michel PO.Prevalence and duration of PTSD in survivors 6 years after a natural disaster.J Anxiety Disord.2013;27(3):347-52. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.03.011Hussain A, Weisaeth L, Heir T.Psychiatric disorders and functional impairment among disaster victims after exposure to a natural disaster: a population-based study.J Affect Disord.2011;128(1-2):135-41. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.018

Arnberg FK, Bergh Johannesson K, Michel PO.Prevalence and duration of PTSD in survivors 6 years after a natural disaster.J Anxiety Disord.2013;27(3):347-52. doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2013.03.011

Hussain A, Weisaeth L, Heir T.Psychiatric disorders and functional impairment among disaster victims after exposure to a natural disaster: a population-based study.J Affect Disord.2011;128(1-2):135-41. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.018

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