Acting now helps avoid storm PTSD

Even with storms Helene and Milton behind us, stress levels remain high. It’s leaving many people to manage post-hurricane anxiety.

If you’re repeatedly exposed to views of destruction, there’s a good chance you might experience what experts are calling a “hurricane crash.” This is a form of mental fatigue that happens when we’re exposed to long periods of high stress. And if it’s not resolved, it could lead to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Back-to-back storms are magnifying anxiety for many of us in Southwest Florida. For many people, the aftermath is layering on additional stressors.

Dealing with things like storm cleanup, making repairs, filing insurance claims and worrying about money are a tipping point. The resulting emotions can become overwhelming.

A licensed social worker with Lee Health’s Behavioral Health Center told WINK News health and medical reporter Amy Oshier it is important to take time to pause and work through your feelings now to avoid PTSD.

“What happens in PTSD is that a person has the memory connect with their nervous system because they don’t want that to ever happen again. And so the problem is that this brings up all sorts of problems for the person, in terms of heightened reactions,” said Dr. Tom Hofmann, the director of adult behavioral health education at Lee Health.

He went on to explain people need to rely on things that have proven over time, to calm them down.

“The thing that prevents that (PTSD) the most is talking to people about how you really feel because feelings aren’t something we necessarily control, but if we express our feelings over time, they become something else.”

If you would like to speak with a professional, there are many options available.

Behavioral Health | Lee Health

United Way 211 | United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades (unitedwaylee.org)