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Barry, Zeta, Ian, Ida, Ernesto, Helene, Milton. As the list of names of major hurricanes grows longer, our collective ability to cope with the after-effects—both physically and emotionally—becomes unsteady.

According to a 2022 study, repeated exposure to hurricanes can have negative effects on mental health.This appears to be the case not only for direct exposure to hurricanes but for indirect and media-based exposure too—for example, a friend getting injured because of a hurricane or hearing a lot about hurricanes on the news.

At a GlanceResearchers have found that repeated exposure to hurricanes can negatively affect mental health. Conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety have all been linked to repeated exposure to hurricanes in Florida residents after Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Michael. Now hurricanes and flooding like what occurred during Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton in 2024 are adding to the stress. This may be linked to rising anxiety around climate change, another factor making hurricanes more common.

At a Glance

Researchers have found that repeated exposure to hurricanes can negatively affect mental health. Conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety have all been linked to repeated exposure to hurricanes in Florida residents after Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Michael. Now hurricanes and flooding like what occurred during Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton in 2024 are adding to the stress. This may be linked to rising anxiety around climate change, another factor making hurricanes more common.

Hurricanes and Mental Health

Distress or worry is to be expected after an event like a hurricane, particularly when there are two catastrophic hurricanes in fairly quick succession, like Irma and Michael.

However, it would normally be expected that mental health would get back to its previous level over time.

Researchers found that with repeated exposure,psychological symptomswere likely to build up and get more serious.This is something that Garfin suggested may prompt a mental health crisis.

Elena Touroni, PhDIf someone begins to suffer from PTSD symptoms then this can have an impact on the rest of their mental well-being too—causing difficulties with anxiety and depression, for example.

Elena Touroni, PhD

If someone begins to suffer from PTSD symptoms then this can have an impact on the rest of their mental well-being too—causing difficulties with anxiety and depression, for example.

Participants undertook surveys online, and answered questions about their prior experience with hurricanes, with direct exposure defined as having lost property, lost a pet, or having been injured, and indirect exposure defined as knowing someone who had been injured or killed.

For example, another study from 2022 found that daily news exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higherworryand feelings ofhopelessness.It stands to reason that hearing about hurricanes and other natural disasters often would have a similar effect.

This study was the first longitudinal study to assess participants before and after category 5 hurricanes. While more studies of this nature would be beneficial, findings were similar to those from studies conducted in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

“Any traumatic event—such as a hurricane—is likely to have an impact on a person’s mental health, depending on how safe or unsafe they felt during the experience. If someone begins to suffer fromPTSD symptoms, then this can have an impact on the rest of their mental well-being too—causing difficulties with anxiety and depression, for example,” saysElena Touroni, PhD, a consultant psychologist and founder ofThe Chelsea Psychology Clinic.

How to Cope With Natural Disasters

Rising Climate Change Anxiety

Also resulting from repeated exposure to hurricanes can be increasedglobal distressand worry about future events.

Climate change hasa real impacton the mental health of many, and there’s evidence that it may also be making hurricanes stronger and more dangerous.

Another study published last year suggested that climate change will broaden the range of hurricanes and cyclones too, meaning that hurricanes could affect areas as far north as New York and Beijing.

Elisabeth Netherton, MDPeople experience a host of terrifying consequences of these [natural disasters]—loss of their homes and possessions, threats to the lives and safety of ourselves and our loved ones.

Elisabeth Netherton, MD

People experience a host of terrifying consequences of these [natural disasters]—loss of their homes and possessions, threats to the lives and safety of ourselves and our loved ones.

This may explain why people become more anxious rather than simply becoming accustomed to repeated exposure to hurricanes.

It’s one of many things that can impact our mental health, and there’s a fear that even after one hurricane has come and gone, there could be another in the near future.

Or, even if it’s not going to affect us directly, we might have relatives in an area susceptible to hurricanes, or we might just be worried about climate change more generally—and it appears that there might be a gender gap here.

Elisabeth Netherton, MD, a psychiatrist and regional medical director forMindpath Health, explains, “Climate change is contributing to increased frequency of a host of natural disasters—we watch these play out on the news or affect our own homes and communities. People experience a host of terrifying consequences of these events—loss of their homes and possessions, threats to the lives and safety of ourselves and our loved ones.”

“It is important to note that because women have a much higher risk ofdeveloping depression, anxiety, and PTSD across their lifetimes, they are likely to carry a disproportionate mental health burden of these disasters. On average, women make less than men do and carry statistically lower household wealth, which means that women-led households are particularly vulnerable to struggling to meet basic needs following these disasters.”

What You Can Do

Of course, it can be wise to take precautions before the event if you know that there’s a hurricane coming.

Nathan Foy, founder of worldwide cyclone tracking projectForce Thirteen, recommends first and foremost to “listen to official safety advice and precautions, as there is an increasing burden on the forecasting community to compete with very popular commentators who hype up the situation and cause unnecessary anxiety.”

We can’t stop hurricanes, but preparing for them beforehand and seeking help afterward if you think you need it can help your mental well-being.

Keep in Mind

4 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.

Garfin DR, Thompson RR, Holman EA, Wong-Parodi G, Silver RC.Association between repeated exposure to hurricanes and mental health in a representative sample of Florida residents.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(6):e2217251. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.17251

Bhatia KT, Vecchi GA, Knutson TR, et al.Recent increases in tropical cyclone intensification rates.Nat Commun. 2019;10(1):635. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08471-z

Studholme J, Fedorov AV, Gulev SK, Emanuel K, Hodges K.Poleward expansion of tropical cyclone latitudes in warming climates.Nat Geosci. 2022;15(1):14-28. doi:10.1038/s41561-021-00859-1

Raker EJ, Lowe SR, Arcaya MC, Johnson ST, Rhodes J, Waters MC.Twelve years later: The long-term mental health consequences of Hurricane Katrina.Soc Sci Med. 2019;242:112610. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112610Zwiebach L, Rhodes J, Roemer L.Resource loss, resource gain, and mental health among survivors of Hurricane Katrina: Resource change and posthurricane distress.J Traum Stress. 2010;23(6):751-758. doi:10.1002/jts.20579

Raker EJ, Lowe SR, Arcaya MC, Johnson ST, Rhodes J, Waters MC.Twelve years later: The long-term mental health consequences of Hurricane Katrina.Soc Sci Med. 2019;242:112610. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112610

Zwiebach L, Rhodes J, Roemer L.Resource loss, resource gain, and mental health among survivors of Hurricane Katrina: Resource change and posthurricane distress.J Traum Stress. 2010;23(6):751-758. doi:10.1002/jts.20579

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