| We may never know how many people
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| | Disaster."POOR CONCENTRATION/RETENTION.
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| hurricane Katrina killed. But we know
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| | "I can't even think," one victim told a
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| this: The victims are going through
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| | CNN journalist. If you can't think it's
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| double grief. They grieve for the family
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| | hard to frame sentences and communicate
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| members and friends who have died
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| | ideas. Background noise makes things
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| (post-death grief), for missing loved
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| | harder. Who could concentrate in a crowd
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| ones, and countless losses to come, a
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| | of 10,000 people?HEALTH CHANGES. Many
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| process called anticipatory grief.What is
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| | victims were dehydrated when the relif
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| anticipatory grief? It's a feeling of
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| | workers found them, according to news
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| loss before a death or dreaded event
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| | reports. Some victims, those who swam or
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| occurs. Katrina had both parts of this
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| | waded through toxic water, have developed
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| definition and was a dreaded event that
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| | skin problems. Kids may have stomach
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| killed thousands. As the victims' losses
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| | aches, headaches, loss of appetite,
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| increase their anticipatory grief will
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| | nightmares, and sleep problems. Adults
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| also increase. If you had to summarize
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| | and kids are just plain exhausted.SLEEP
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| their lives with one word it would be
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| | PROBLEMS. The victims stranded on
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| uncertainty.Everything is up for
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| | rooftops had to be constantly alert and
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| grabs.John S. Rolland, author of "Living
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| | got no sleep. Victims housed in shelters
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| Beyond Loss: A Death in the Family," says
| |
| | got no sleep, little sleep, or
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| the emotions associated with anticipatory
| |
| | interrupted sleep. Sleep problems alter
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| grief are intense. What's more, these
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| | their perception, thinking, behavior, and
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| emotions can be total opposites, such as
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| | the ability to solve problems.FEELING
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| hope and despair. Katrina's victims are
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| | DISCONNECTED AND ALONE. Trauma has
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| on emotional overload. No wonder they
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| | caused hurricane victims and relief
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| have most of the symptoms of anticipatory
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| | workers to feel disconnected. Some think
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| grief. Here are some of their
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| | they've been forgotten. But they're not
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| symptoms.DENIAL. You hear denial
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| | forgotten. Americans and people around
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| sentences on television and radio every
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| | the globe are coming to their aid. You
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| day. "Gulf Coast residents are used to
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| | can help by:* Learning about anticipatory
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| hurricanes." "We thought we could ride
| |
| | grief. Once you know about it you'll
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| out the storm." "The [flood] water will
| |
| | understand its power over the hurricane
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| go down soon." The problem with denial
| |
| | victims.* Contributing to AmeriCares, the
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| is that it can kill you.EMOTIONAL
| |
| | American Red Cross, the Salvation Army,
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| NUMBNESS. Some victims are so
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| | and religious groups that are providing
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| traumatized they have a "flat affect" and
| |
| | relief.
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| display little emotion. Their faces are
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| | Every contribution is welcome.* Donating
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| blank and their body language is minimal.
| |
| | new clothing - not used - to relief
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| It's as if Katrina wrung everything out
| |
| | organizations. Make sure the size is
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| of them.NERVOUS BEHAVIOR. The hurricane
| |
| | listed on all items. Tie socks and shoes
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| victims are nervous because they've lost
| |
| | together.* Donating blankets, sheets,
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| control of their lives. Who wouldn't be
| |
| | pillow cases and pillows to relief
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| nervous? Kids are expressing their
| |
| | organizations.* Donating personal care
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| nervousness with hyper behavior, crying,
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| | items - toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap,
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| or clinging.ANXIETY AND DREAD. Katrina's
| |
| | shampoo, combs, makeup - to relief
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| victims ask themselves the same question
| |
| | organizations.* Asking your kids to give
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| every day: What will happen next? Kids
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| | some of their gently used books and games
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| may fear another disaster, according to
| |
| | to relief organizations.* Donating art
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| The National Child Traumatic Stress
| |
| | supplies. Young children have limited
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| Network. Unfortunately, weather
| |
| | vocabularies, so they communicate through
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| forecasts may reinforce this fear.CHOKED
| |
| | art. Instead of donating coloring books,
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| FEELING IN THE THROAT. Some hurricane
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| | donate blank paper, crayons and/or water
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| victims cry easily, others hide their
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| | color markers so kids can express their
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| feelings because they must be strong for
| |
| | experiences and feelings.* Sharing your
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| their families. So they live with a
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| | expertise. The American Red Cross and
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| choked feeling in their throats.
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| | the National Institute of Mental Health
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| Besides, if they start crying they might
| |
| | need health experts in a variety of
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| not be able to stop.CONSTANT SADNESS.
| |
| | fields. Visit their Websites for more
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| Robert Veniga, MD, author of "A Gift of
| |
| | information on volunteer needs.* Sharing
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| Hope: How We Survive Our Tragedies," says
| |
| | your home. Contact to work out
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| the victims of tragedy often believe
| |
| | details.* Listening to victims' stories.
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| things are going to get worse. "Their
| |
| | If you share your home or if hurricane
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| lives are governed by fears," he writes,
| |
| | victims move to your community, take the
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| "perhaps a fear that they can never again
| |
| | time to listen to their stories. Your
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| find happiness."DEPRESSION. Suriving
| |
| | gift of listeing will ease their burdens
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| Katrina was hard enough, but now the
| |
| | and help them to see a brighter
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| victims have to face their losses and
| |
| | future.Copyright 2005 by Harriet Hodgson.
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| build new lives. Building a new life
| |
| | To learn more about her work go to
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| takes courage and physical stamina, two
| |
| | Hodgson has been a nonfiction writer for
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| things that may be in short supply at the
| |
| | 27 years and is a member of the
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| moment. The result is depression.ANGER.
| |
| | Association of Health Care Journalists.
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| Kids feel insecurity, anxiety, sadness,
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| | Her latest book, "Smiling Through Your
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| unfairness, anger and more, according to
| |
| | Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with
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| the National Child Traumatic Stress
| |
| | Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Dr. Lois Krahn,
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| Network. For information on kids'
| |
| | is available from Hodgson has donated
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| reactions to disaster visit their Website
| |
| | copies of the book to her local Red Cross
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| at and click on "Terrorism and
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| | chapter.
|
