Tornadoes never cease to amaze how destructive they can be to one home while leaving others untouched. We see that happening now in areas hit by Tuesday’s tornadoes.
Now, some residents are left feeling guilty.
One local counselor said patients are already mentioning how the storms have impacted their mental health.
“Survivor’s guilt is a state of mind that happens after a traumatic event. One might feel excessive feelings of guilt for surviving something that maybe others have not, or they have very little emotional and physical damage to themselves or their property,” said Dr. Manahil Riaz, LPC-S. “So essentially, that person is taking on the loss that others are experiencing.”
Riaz said natural disasters are classified as traumatic experiences whether your home was affected or not.
One way to help yourself feel better after a natural disaster is to help with cleanup or volunteer efforts.
“Connecting to your community might be a very healing thing to do at this time,” Riaz said.
Symptoms of survivor’s guilt:
- Guilt
- Shock
- Confusion
Symptoms can last for 3-5 days. If you feel your symptoms persist longer, seek professional help.
“Some signs and symptoms of survivor’s guilt are similar to PTSD, where a person is ruminating about the disaster, meaning they’re having impulsive and obsessive thoughts about it, and they do not want them. This can affect your sleep, your appetite, you might have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or if you are rested, you don’t feel rested. You might overeat or not eat enough. There might be a general sense of uneasiness when you think about the event,” Riaz said.
More bad weather possible this weekend
“Take a deep breath. That is really, really difficult,” Dr. Riaz said your body may react to the stress by feeling fear or panic. “It is ok for you to feel anxious.”
Tips to cope with weather stress
- Remind yourself you’re safe
- Find your support network (drive to a friend’s house, if needed)
- Acknowledge this feeling will pass
The following resources can offer affordable mental health help or connect you directly to a counselor.
Legacy Community Health in Deer Park
Free or discounted services
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD
Free or discounted services
Ajana Therapy and Clinical Services
Offer sessions as low as $15 a session if they are open to virtual
The University of Houston Psychology Research and Services Center
Affordable (based on a sliding scale)
www.uh.edu/class/psychology/clinics/
Martin counseling
Offer low-cost counseling with *practicum students
Riaz Counseling
Offer low-cost counseling with *practicum students