Coping with Disaster: Resiliency

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Coping with Disaster Resiliency

• By
• Bill Martin, Ph D
• Disaster Response Network Coordinator
• Mississippi Psychological Association

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• Who is affected by exposure to a disaster?

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(No Transcript)
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• Everyone!

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Stress ReactionsNormal Reactions to an Abnormal
Situation

• Behavioral
• Emotional
• Thinking (Cognitive)
• Physical
• Interpersonal

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Normal Reactions to an Abnormal Situation

• Behavioral
• Getting Along with Others
• Sleep Changes
• Activity Level Changes
• Nightmares/Troubling Dreams
• Job Performance Changes
• Substance Abuse
• Avoidance
• More Accidents

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Normal Reactions to an Abnormal Situation

• Emotional
• Shock
• Fear
• Anger
• Guilt
• I didnt do all I should have
• I didnt suffer as much as others
• Grief
• Numbing
• Arousal

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Normal Reactions to an Abnormal Situation

• Thinking (Cognitive)
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble with decisions
• Memory Trouble
• Confusion
• Intrusive memories
• Worry

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Normal Reactions to an Abnormal Situation

• Physical Effects
• Fatigued, exhausted
• Trouble sleeping
• Startles easily
• Physically ill
• Stomach problems
• Appetite problems

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Normal Reactions to an Abnormal Situation

• Interpersonal
• Conflict with others
• Withdrawing
• Distrust
• Blaming others
• Feeling abandoned
• Overprotective
• Alienated

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Some people just seem to handle things better
than others.

• They are just hardier
• Resilient.

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• Are hardy, resilient people just born that way?

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Some people just seem to handle things better
than others.

• Resiliency skills can be taught, are learned and,
  when practiced, increase our hardiness, our
  ability to withstand sudden and longer lasting
  stress.

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Resilience (simply) is

• an ability to endure more stress and respond more
  effectively, even in longer lasting crises.

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Experiencing a disaster is not all bad.

• For some, simply having had previous experiences
  of coping with disasters actually improves
  ability to cope with new disaster.

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• Some people actually grow stronger as they
  discover they can survive and cope with disaster.

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• For some, simply having had previous experiences
  of coping with disasters actually improves
  ability to cope with new disaster.

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Coping Continuums

• At Risk lt-------gt Safe
• Chaos lt-------gt Control
• Confused lt-------gt Informed
• Avoidant lt-------gt Engaged
• Helpless lt-------gt Empowered
• Grief lt-------gt Resolution

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Take care of yourself
• Take control of what you can
• Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable
• Realistic expectations
• Make connections with others

• Take decisive action
• Move toward goals
• Accept that change is part of living
• Keep things in perspective
• Stay focused
• Keep at it

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Take care of yourself
• Avoid unnecessary risks
• Build a nest
• Eat well
• Drink fluids
• Get active, maybe even exercise
• Have rest periods
• Have recreation periods
• Pace ourselves

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Take control
• We think moods control our behavior.
• In fact, behavior controls moods.
• Change your behavior and your mood will change.
• Change what you are thinking about and your mood
  will change.
• Make decisions about what you will do and when
  you will do it and then do it.
• Schedules and routine are our friends.

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable
• We cant change facts, cant change reality.
• Ultimately, we can only adapt to reality.
• But we can change how we think about, talk about
  events, and that will change how we feel and
  react.
• There are facts and there are beliefs maybe
  just opinions. Know the difference.

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• And since our beliefs determine how we react,
  make sure our beliefs are consistent with
  reality are accurate.
• Its hard to even identify our beliefs.
• What am I likely telling myself about this event
  that would lead me to feel this way?

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5 Question Test

• Is it a fact or an opinion?
• Does thinking this help me to stay alive?
• Does thinking this help me to feel the way I
  want?
• Does thinking this move me toward a goal?
• Does thinking this help me to avoid unnecessary
  conflict with others?

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Expectations
• We judge outcomes based on our expectations.
• If our expectations are unrealistic, not
  accurate, then we are bound to be dissatisfied,
  disappointed.
• We can try to get more accurate, realistic
  information, so expectations are realistic.
• Having more accurate expectations usually
  requires better communication with others.

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Make Connections
• Family
• Friends
• At work
• Civic groups
• Faith-based groups
• Assisting others

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Take decisive action
• Dont just sit there, do something.
• Avoidance and passivity are most predictive of
  worse adjustment.
• Accomplishment, even those little steps, builds
  sense of control and confidence.

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Move toward your goals
• Set goals hourly, daily, weekly
• Make a plan
• Start with a here and now focus
• Impose some structure, some routine
• What can I do now that will move me toward a goal

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Accept that change is a necessary, unavoidable
  part of living
• And Stress is what we feel when we have to
  change.
• Changes in life circumstances
• Changes in goals
• Changes in expectations
• Then adapt, start making changes that seem better
  for you now

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Keep things in perspective
• Watch how we describe things to ourselves
• Avoid those generalities those never and
  always and should and must.
• Everything is as it should be but may not be how
  you wish it to be.
• Get those facts things as they are and not
  things as we wish they were or think they ought
  to be.
• Accurate information leads to more effective
  coping.

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Write it down
• Write that plan day by day
• Write that journal day by day
• Keeps us focused
• Allows us to see and measure progress

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Ways to Build Resiliency

• Keep at it
• A journey of a thousand miles is still one step
  at a time
• Focus on the steps not just on the end of the
  journey
• Satisfaction more readily comes from the process
  not just the outcome.

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• Resiliency

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Personal Tool Box

• Anything we practice we get better at.
• If we dont practice using the tools, we forget
  whats in the tool box.
• We might use the wrong tools the wrong way.
• Stop periodically inventory the tool box.
• Then deliberately practice using the tools.

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Coping with Disaster Resiliency

• By
• Bill Martin, Ph D
• Disaster Response Network Coordinator
• Mississippi Psychological Association