Listen to our interview with Dr. Martha Abraham (Psychiatrist), and see what she has to say about how the earthquake in Haiti may be affecting us mentally, and what we can do about it.
Listen to our interview with Dr. Martha Abraham
We are all well aware that the earthquake in Haiti has taken, and continues to take a toll on friends and family back home. However, we cannot neglect the fact that it also affects those of us who are miles away, watching events unfold on CNN while worrying about the fate of loved ones we have yet to hear from back home. For about a week, I personally was never able to get a really good night’s rest since the initial earthquake occurred. Images of people crushed beneath rubble and dead bodies in the street haunted me at work and at home, whether the computer or television set was on or off. I found I was getting easily irritated, impatient, and found it sometimes difficult to concentrate at work.
Just because you aren’t in Haiti doesn’t mean that you cannot be physically or mentally affected. A friend of mine contacted me on Facebook asking for my help. It was confirmed that he had lost 2 family members, and he was looking for 3 other people. He says the stress caused him to almost suffer a stroke and he was admitted to the hospital with extremely high blood pressure. Other HaitiXchange forum members have mentioned that they would not be back online for while because all of this was way too depressing. Another one of my friends found herself continuously crying whenever “Haiti” came up at work, or anyone asked her if her relatives were fine (they were!)
Most of us have never dealt with death on such a massive scale. Dealing with it can be very difficult, and oftentimes simply impossible. People are suffering nervous breakdowns and lots of anxiety which can physically affect you even years later if you don’t do anything about it.
Here are some things you can do to help you better cope with this disaster:
1. Turn off the TV.
Give CNN and HaitiXchange a break. A friend in Florida mentioned how she wakes up and goes to sleep with CNN. Even after she had verified that her family was alive, she still couldn’t pry herself from the Internet or the television set. Taking a vacation from the news and listening to some soft, soothing music instead can clear your mind and help you put things in perspective.
2. Talk about it.
Talk to your family and friends about it, either online or off. Facebook, for instance, has dozens of groups which have sprung up, giving people a place to voice their opinions, concerns, and fears. You can also do the same on the HaitiXchange forum. Realizing you are not alone, and getting ideas and feedback from other people can help you cope.
3. Become active.
Get out of the sidelines and do something to help. Stay active and help out with fundraising. Fear and depression can set in if you don’t feel like you’re in control. Giving yourself something to do will make you feel more like you are in control of your destiny and will give you the satisfaction of knowing that you did something to help.
4. Seek professional help.
Don’t be afraid to seek professional help. As Haitians we often look down on people who have had to go visit a psychiatrist. Even if we might need help ourselves, we remain in denial and never seek help thinking that the problem will just go away, or that we can “fix” it ourselves. The truth is that being able to talk to someone who can objectively take a look at your situation can help you out tremendously. Many jobs and organizations offer counseling for people who are going through trauma, so see if you have any of these services available to you.
To sum it all up,our brothers and sisters back home are suffering. Taking care of yourself will ensure that you can better take care of them, and participate in the rebuilding of Haiti Cherie.
This tragedy is still taken a toll on me, I just can not stop watching even looking at all the horrifying pictures and hearing all those sad stories I keep consuming and I'm crying everyday, I feel so sad, My brain is working overtim thinking about what I could do, what I should do and why didn't I do that. I'm so so sad about Haiti .
