Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton left many Floridians reeling in their wake.
Damaged homes and businesses, flooded streets and the loss of loved ones impacted many.
But that may not be the only lasting effects the storms will have.
Experts say Floridians could experience stress reactions in the aftermath of the trio of hurricanes.
What does this mean?
Jack Darkes, director of the University of South Florida Psychological Services Center, said stress reactions after natural disasters are expected and not necessarily indicative of a mental health disorder.
"Reacting to stress and having struggles doesn't mean one has a diagnosable mental illness,” he said. “That's normal and natural."
However, how long the issues persist could be a sign of whether there’s an underlying problem.
“A lot of those symptoms are normal reactions to having these stressful experiences, whatever they may be, similar to how soldiers may get from engaging in combat,” Darkes said. “The difference is whether those symptoms resolve over time.”
Darkes said some of the effects are depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder.
But Darkes said it’s important to differentiate between post-traumatic stress and PTSD. He said the biggest difference comes down to the intensity of the symptoms, such as reliving the trauma and the duration.
“Maybe within a month of that experience, if [symptoms] persist, then it becomes something that's more of a disorder,” he said.
Brad Schmidt, director of the Anxiety and Behavioral Health Clinic at Florida State University, said another consideration would be how the symptoms are affecting someone’s life.
“All of us are going to have days when we’re feeling down or days when we're more worried or anxious," he said. "But do those symptoms really affect individuals’ quality of life? That's the key question.”
Schmidt said the severity of the trauma is one of the “most potent determinants” for who could develop PTSD.
Darkes said other mental health issues after a hurricane could be related to anxiety or depression — it all comes down to what a person is concerned about.
“Depression is often about how people are looking back,” he said. “Anxiety is usually more about the future, right? So it's an anticipatory thing.”
Those with anxiety might experience insomnia, disrupted sleep and a lot of worry. On the other hand, depression might be associated with negative moods, low energy, sleeping all the time or inability to sleep.
How to seek treatment
Darkes recommended that those experiencing symptoms visit a professional. He said people can use online resources, such as the Florida Psychological Association, to locate a provider.
He also recommended that those on a budget visit USF’s Psychological Services Center, where fees are based on income.
Schmidt said people don’t have to visit a psychologist; they could go see their primary care physician, who would be able to prescribe medications, such as antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Jason von Meding, a professor with the Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience at the University of Florida, said connections with others are imperative as people rebuild after the hurricane.
“We're not dealing with the fact that people are suffering because they're isolated and they don't have connections; they don't have anybody else to share their load with,” he said.
Von Meding recommended people build connections in their neighborhoods, families or cultures.
Support groups are also a way to establish relationships that may help with mental health. The National Alliance on Mental Illness offers support groups in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota, Manatee and Polk counties. It also offers support groups for loved ones of those with mental health issues or frontline professionals.
Von Meding said being a good listener for those who you know are struggling is a good way to help them heal.
“A lot of therapy just happens in relationship with each other with our friends and family,” he said.
Darkes adds it’s also important to be compassionate with yourself during the healing period.
“If you show symptoms of depression after a hurricane, that's expected in many ways,” he said. “So it's not necessarily, ‘Oh, this is really wrong for me.’ No, that's OK.”
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