After The Disaster

We all want life to get back to normal as soon as possible after we’ve experienced any sort of disaster. But what is recovery? And how will we know when we’ve found it?

Family and domestic violence increase in communities affected by disasters. Why is this, and what can we do about it? If you or someone you know is experiencing family or domestic violence, you can go to your GP or 1800RESPECT for advice and guidance. That is https://www.1800respect.org.au/

A disaster that has some form of court case or legal proceeding attached to it comes with some particular challenges. There are things that we can do to help prepare ourselves for the additional strains that being involved in a legal proceeding after a disaster might bring. This episode does not give legal advice. Depending on the sort event and legal proceedings, there are different types of procedural support available to you, such as the Victims of Crime teams or police liaison services.

A massive event affects each of us in different of ways, but we do know that people who have experienced previous trauma are more likely to be affected because a disaster can trigger memories. So when a whole community has already experienced trauma, the impacts can be particularly tough for a whole group of people. For example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities who are already navigating intergenerational trauma will carry that experience through a disaster event. Or former refugee communities are already contending with a difficult past will have unique challenges in this new environment. If you're in those communities, or supporting people in those communities, what can you do to make it easier? One key is respecting and honouring the resilience they have already displayed.

Disasters that are caused by deliberate acts of violence like terrorism or arson can feel different to those that are caused by big weather events or freak accidents. People who experience disasters that involve violence may be at greater risk of negative impacts, and may also have to deal with drawn out legal processes. There are things that you can do to help yourself and the people you love after these events.

While we understandably think of the people who have been directly physically impacted by a disaster, the impacts of disasters are far reaching. Disasters really do affect more people than you might first think. It’s important that we move beyond comparing tangible impacts and towards thinking about how to care for everyone.

What do you say to someone who is struggling? We can often avoid people who have been through something tough like a disaster or a death in the family, because we’re scared of saying the wrong thing. But there are ways to approach these conversations that will make them easier.

When you’ve been through a disaster already, it’s common to feel stressed that something else can happen. We go through the tips to prepare, and then move on with life. Preparation for a future disaster goes beyond packing a first aid kit. It’s about acceptance, communication and community as well as the practical things you may think of.

When the landscape is drastically impacted by a fire, flood or a cyclone, we can all feel a loss. Perhaps you've walked through a silent landscape after a fire, or seen massive trees laying in the middle of a field, after being carried kilometers by a raging, flooded river. We all feel that sense of loss and mourning. As people, we are all connected to the natural environment. And for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, people who work and live on the land, and wildlife carers, that loss can be heightened.

While disasters are hard, it’s also really common to have positive change alongside the rough bits. It has a name – Post Traumatic Growth. But while we can admit things are tough, we can really struggle with accepting the good bits. It’s okay to be okay and it’s okay to not be okay. There is no right or wrong.