We often talk about how to prepare for emergencies or disasters, and how to recover from physical injury or loss, but not all repercussions are physical in nature. Mental distress can also be a dangerous lingering effect after a disaster, and it can stick around and fester, presenting as anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or many other mental side effects. Luckily, if you’re experience post-disaster distress, you’re not alone. There’s support groups where you can talk with people in similar situations, there’s local resources where you can seek help, and there’s even a Disaster Distress Helpline you can call when you’re experiencing emotional distress. They offer multilingual support 24/7, so whenever you’re feeling the need to talk or experiencing emotional distress, don’t hesitate to call.
The phone number is 1-800-985-5990, and you can call at any time. Please, if you’re experiencing distress after a disaster, call the helpline to talk with a trained crisis counselor.