Natural Disaster PTSD Treatment

What Is Natural Disaster-Related PTSD?

Natural disaster-related PTSD is post traumatic stress that develops following a flood, earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, fire, or other natural disaster.

How Natural Disasters Can Cause Trauma

Experiencing a natural disaster is a collective experience that can traumatize large populations of people at once and often results in feelings of survivor’s guilt and other severe PTSD symptoms.

The Impact of Natural Disasters on Mental Health

Natural disasters are sudden, overwhelming, and uncontrollable, and they can cause shock, numbness, or denial. For many, the trauma of a natural disaster is worsened by the loss of loved ones, homes, or valued possessions.

Shock eventually fades and leads to extreme emotion and high levels of anxiety, guilt, or even depression. 

Symptoms of PTSD After a Natural Disaster

Symptoms of PTSD after a natural disaster may include:

Emotional Symptoms

• Intense feelings of fear, anger, or sadness.
• Feelings of guilt, shame, hopelessness, depression.
• Heightened reactions or feelings of anxiety.
• Experiencing nightmares or flashbacks of the trauma.
• Limited or no feelings of happiness, satisfaction, or peace.

Physical Symptoms

• Abnormal levels of fatigue combined with insomnia or other sleep issues.
• New onset panic attacks.
• Tension headaches or chest pain.
• Nausea or trembling.

Behavioral Changes

• Avoiding situations or memories that bring back the trauma.
• Withdrawing or feeling isolated from friends and family.
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering.

While these symptoms can be distressing, understanding the factors that contribute to PTSD can help guide the most effective treatment.

Causes of PTSD Following Natural Disasters

Several factors can increase the risk of developing PTSD following a natural disaster. These include:

• Exposure to Life-Threatening Events - Direct or second-hand exposure to the event.
• Separation - Being separated from friends and family. This can be especially traumatic for children and young adults.
• Loss - Experiencing the loss of a loved one, property, or valued items.
• Displacement - Being displaced by a natural disaster and living in a temporary shelter or group home.
• Media Exposure - Prolonged or persistent exposure to news and other reports about the devastation and people’s emotional reactions to it.

Diagnosis of PTSD After Natural Disasters

If you experienced or been impacted by a natural disaster, you may have natural disaster PTSD.

Recognizing the Symptoms Early

Recognizing the symptoms of PTSD early and seeking intervention as soon as possible can significantly improve your chances of complete recovery. Evidence-based treatment modalities and counseling can help prevent symptoms from worsening and minimize the long-term impact on your life, work, and relationships.

PTSD Assessment Tools and Criteria

A healthcare provider or mental health professional can accurately diagnose this disorder using criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) book by the American Psychiatric Association.

Criteria may include:

• Direct exposure to a traumatic event.
• In-person witness to a traumatic event.
• Finding out about a traumatic event that a close family member or friend has suffered 
• Due to this exposure, a person must experience clinically significant distress or impairment in social interactions or other important areas of functioning (e.g., work, school, etc.).

To make an accurate diagnosis, your healthcare provider may ask you to complete a self-assessment and perform an initial screening assessment and structured clinical interview to better understand the root cause of your PTSD symptoms and determine the best treatment options.

Natural Disaster PTSD Treatment Options

Therapy Approaches

Therapy is the most effective treatment for PTSD following a natural disaster. At Beach House, we provide Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)to help you manage PTSD symptoms and improve your quality of life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Postdisaster Distress (CBT-PD) helps you challenge negative thoughts and beliefs related to the traumatic event and identify the most effective techniques for managing anxiety and improving coping skills.

Medications to Manage Symptoms

Everyone’s experience with and reaction to a natural disaster is unique. Therefore, there is no clear guidance on how to use medication to prevent or treat PTSD immediately following a disaster.

However, your healthcare provider may prescribe one or more of the following, depending on your unique symptoms:

• Mood stabilizers
• Antianxiety medications
• Alpha-1 blockers
• Atypical antidepressants

Stress Management and Coping Techniques

If you or a loved one has experienced, witnessed, or been impacted by a natural disaster, here are a few healthy ways to cope:

• Eat healthy foods like leafy greens, lean meats, and whole grains.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs, as these can make symptoms worse.
• Engage in at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity per day.
• Talk to someone you trust about your feelings.
• Limit news consumption as this can worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression.
• Get seven to nine hours of restorative sleep each night.
• Establish and keep to a routine.
• Avoid making any major life decisions.
• Know when to ask for help by paying attention to signs of stress, depression, anxiety, or substance misuse.

Get Help for PTSD Caused by Natural Disasters

Finding Specialized PTSD Treatment

At Beach House, our licensed therapists are skilled in diagnosing and treating natural disaster PTSD. We can help you address and cope with the distress or hopelessness that often follows a natural disaster. We will tailor our proven treatment programs to your unique needs, helping you overcome symptoms of anxiety or depression and guiding you toward a path of long-lasting healing.

Resources for Survivors of Natural Disasters

Here is a list of additional resources for survivors and the public following a natural disaster:

• Disaster Distress Helpline – Call 1-800-985-5990.
• Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 for 24/7 support.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – Call 1-800-621-3362.
• American Red Cross – Call 1-800-733-2767.
• PTSD Coach - Mobile app and online resource to help with self-care for those with PTSD.