Mental wellness vital as stress levels rise

When southern Alberta’s Highwood River spilled over its banks in 2013, it caused millions of dollars of damage in the town of High River.

What no one could put a price on, though, was the emotional and mental anguish the devastating flood caused residents in the community of 13,000, all of whom were ordered to leave their homes.

The initial mix of panic and awe at the level of destruction soon gave way to a chasm of grief as people faced the substantial damage or loss of their homes, belongings, treasured photos and keepsakes.

“Those are the pieces of loss that people really struggled with. You don’t think about that right when it’s happening, but you certainly start thinking about that as life starts to settle down a bit,” said Robbie Babins-Wagner, a social worker and chief executive of the Calgary Counselling Centre.

Like other natural disasters, floods can leave people feeling anxious, dazed, helpless, sad or angry.

These are all normal reactions to a stressful event, but experts and city officials agree people affected by flooding in the OttawaGatineau region must take care of their mental health — particularly if these feelings persist after a couple of weeks.

Most people don’t need counselling in the early days following a disaster, Babins-Wagner said. Basic needs such as housing, finances and insurance coverage are usually top priority. It’s only once the dust begins to settle that people realize they need to talk to someone.

Weeks after High River’s flood waters receded, Alberta’s provincial government asked BabinsWagner’s organization to open a satellite office in High River to offer free counselling to people affected by a disaster that wiped out much of their community.

“Don’t be bashful about talking to somebody about how you’re feeling and don’t be afraid to say to somebody, ‘I need a place to sleep tonight’ or, ‘I’m feeling overwhelmed with all I have to deal with,’ ” she said. “People will help.” The centre provided more than 1,800 hours of counselling to individuals, couples, parents, children and entire families. Most needed fewer than eight to 10 sessions over a period of time, but a smaller number of people needed weekly or biweekly sessions.

The centre closed three years after the flood because, by then, people were talking to counsellors about other issues coming up in their lives, not flood-related issues, Babins-Wagner said.

The portal on the City of Ottawa’s website designed to provide residents with the latest flood-related information includes a section on responding to stressful events.

The city will also be sending teams door-to-door to check on people, which includes offering mental health support services, said Dr. Isra Levy, the city’s medical officer of health.

“We have emergency counsellors at our reception centres and none were called upon in the first couple of days, but the Ottawa distress line, the mental health crisis line, these are community resources that are available and we’ll be paying more and more attention to that, making sure that community resources are available,” he said.

After a disaster or emergency, people may experience a range of emotions and choose to avoid places or people who remind them of the disaster.

They might have trouble sleeping, eating or paying attention. They might have a short fuse. These are normal reactions to stress and it may take time before a person feels better and life returns to normal.

They should seek help if they can’t return to a normal routine, are not able to take care of themselves or their children, use alcohol or drugs to get away from their feelings, are having thoughts of hurting themselves or others, or feel extremely helpless, sad or depressed for more than two weeks.

Keeping a normal routine, eating healthy meals, exercising regularly and accepting help from family, friends and co-workers are recommended. “It may sound silly but it’s fundamental: Good exercise and sleep matters,” Levy said, acknowledging it might not be possible for people directly affected by the flooding in the first days.

Floods can be particularly difficult because they strike people where they live. “A person’s home is such a key component to feeling safe and secure,” said Emily Deacon, a social worker at The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.

Seeing it heavily damaged or destroyed can fill a person with fear and worry — emotions that are only heightened by added concerns about insurance coverage and finances.

People who have pre-existing struggles with moods or anxiety are at an increased risk.

“This could exacerbate those symptoms,” Deacon said.

Children may not fully understand what’s happening, but are worried about their parents and may have had their routines disrupted. “It can be very hard on kids,” she said.

Deacon suggests parents be reassuring, but honest.

It’s OK to admit you’re scared, too, but reiterate that you’ll get through it as a family.

“You don’t want to scare them, but you don’t want to minimize it either,” she said.