Bernie Durkin
General Manager of Regional Counselling, Health Promotion and
Bushfire Recovery at Eastern Access Community Health (EACH)
What an extraordinary country Australia is…
At the same time that our fellow Australians are wrestling with
floods across parts of Queensland, others are battling fires in
Western Australia. As we connect with the stories through TV, radio
or newspapers, we may each have different reactions to what we
are seeing/hearing and even a variety of responses at the same
time.
At one level it is hard not to be impressed by the scale of
what is happening and marvel at how powerless we are when
nature throws everything at us
Some of us will try and imagine what it would be like to be in
the middle of it all and will struggle to get our heads around
the experience
Others will know only too well – because they will have been
there before
Some will feel the pride of how Aussies dig in to look after
each other at these times – some will dip into their pockets in
an attempt to make a difference
For some who were helped in their own troubles it may feel
like ‘giving back’ to those who assisted them.
For some it will trigger off feelings of fear, insecurity and
vulnerability … flashbacks to times when they were in trouble
and feared for their lives or the lives of others.
What should people do when these feelings are triggered off?
The first thing to do is to accept that this is a normal response
and not panic or get anxious if it happens to you.
Secondly; take a reality check for yourself. While it is terrible
that these things are happening, they ARE happening
elsewhere and you are not under threat yourself.
This sounds simple, but unless there are good reasons for you
to keep checking the news on TV or radio it is best to avoid it
altogether. The feelings of anxiety and vulnerability are
prompted by exposing yourself to the pictures and stories.
The same goes for the newspaper – bypass the stories.
Reconnect with the things and the people that helped you
previously … they are already proven. These strategies will
be different for each of us … it may be some quiet time out;
enjoying some good music; going to a movie; having a coffee
with someone who listens well; some deep breathing; taking
a drive to somewhere special. You will know best what will
help.
Don’t be afraid it to name it to people you trust … a lot of the
fear goes out of things when we can name them and talk
about them. Take the initiative … people cannot mind-read
us.
A possibly helpful way to think about what is happening for you is to
think about your previous experience of trauma as a deep wound
that was inflicted on you. Over time and with the right treatment
even serious wounds close over, but they never entirely go away.
When old wounds take an unexpected bump (Qld floods/WA fires)
they may not open up, but they may start to ache a bit … and we
are reminded of the event that inflicted the wound in the first place.
When we reconnect with the pain, we do not go back to step 1.
Most of us have moved on a long way since then and have done
many things to heal ourselves – none of this is lost. The bump and
the pain it causes remind us that we lived through a defining
moment in our own lives. Hold onto what you know about survival
and recovery and recall the unexpected strengths you found in
yourself. All of this may be helpful to keep in mind as we nudge up
on the anniversary date in a few weeks.
Jacqui Sims
Community Development Bushfire Recovery Officer
Mitchell Shire Council
