Everyone will experience or respond to a natural disaster differently.
The type of support young people need is different in the response phase (initial days to weeks following a natural disaster) to the recovery phase (the following months). Life changes for everyone during and after a natural disaster, even if we haven’t been at the event.
Direct exposure can be understood as the loss of possessions, the loss of safety or health, or the death of loved ones or animals.
Indirect exposure is commonly understood as exposure via third parties, whether through stories of family and friends affected, or by exposure to media (radio, television, newspapers and social media).
Both of these exposures can have an immediate and lasting impact on our mental health and wellbeing.
Young people are especially vulnerable to the indirect effects of natural disasters. This is due to these events sometimes being their first exposure, their developmental stage and their increased chance of seeing lots of graphic content – especially on social media.
There is no right or wrong way to react to a traumatic event. Some people might experience sadness and seek connection to others while others might feel numb and become more disconnected. Following a natural disaster any reaction can be normal. You might notice changes to sleep, eating patterns, relationships or difficulty with routine activities like getting dressed or schooling.
These are normal reactions to not normal events.
The following tips are helpful in the initial days and weeks following exposure to a natural disaster:
(Hobfoll et al, 2007)1
Encourage your young person to engage in activities that promote a healthy headspace.
As much as possible, support young people to maintain regular routines and stay connected to regular activities such as sport, school, uni or TAFE, and spending time with friends.
People who experience traumatic events are often able to recover, and don’t experience ongoing symptoms or difficulties, by using their own skills and the supports of family, friends and the broader community.
For some it’s important to access professional support to help with these challenges.
Most people recover well from the emotional effects of natural disasters. Family and friends can have an important role in the healing process for young people. It’s important to remember family and friends have their own challenges to cope with, and you may find yourself juggling your own reactions to the disaster with your responsibilities for the young person.
Reactions may include:
Be kind to yourself and engage in self-care activities like sleeping well, connecting with others and staying active. These activities can be hard to do when facing stressful situations but try to do something small for yourself. It’s also good for your young person to see these things modelled by others.
It can be hard to know when it’s time to seek professional support. Often, it’s when someone experiences difficulties for longer than a couple of months after an event, and it’s having an impact on the way they want to live their lives.
Seek immediate help if you think the young person is at risk, for example of self harm. Call your local hospital, emergency services (000), Lifeline (13 11 14) or Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800).
1. Hobfall et al. Five essential elements of immediate and mid-term mass trauma intervention: Empirical evidence. 2007; 70(4):283-315 (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5668133_Five_Essential_Elements_of_Immediate_and_Mid- Term_Mass_Trauma_Intervention_Empirical_Evidence)
If you or someone you know is going through a tough time you can get help and support from headspace, your school, TAFE or university wellbeing service or your local health provider. For more information, to find your nearest headspace centre, or for online and telephone support, visit headspace.org.au
The headspace Clinical Reference Group have approved this clinical resource. Fact sheets are for general information only. They are not intended to be and should not be relied on as a substitute for specific medical or health advice. While every effort is taken to ensure the information is accurate, headspace makes no representations and gives no warranties that this information is correct, current, complete, reliable or suitable for any purpose. We disclaim all responsibility and liability for any direct or indirect loss, damage, cost or expense whatsoever in the use of or reliance upon this information. 03 October 2022
