Health trends

Dealing with disasters

With the hurricane season at its peak and Jamaicans feeling the effects, the Jamaica Red Cross wishes to remind persons that in addition to ensuring their physical well-being before, during or after disasters, they should also take care of their psychological well-being.

With this in mind, the Jamaica Red Cross wishes to share tips on how to maintain proper mental health during times of disaster. Tips are taken from one of the Jamaica Red Cross Psychosocial Support brochures titled 'How to Deal with Stress: Self-care tips for survivors of disasters'.

Common signs of stress

• Can't sleep
• Easily fed up
• Feeling hopeless
• Headaches and bellyaches
• Cold and flu symptoms
• Feeling very sad or crying easily
• Feeling confused
• Increased use of drugs and alcohol

Ways to deal with stress

• Do something fun, e.g., playing football, playing dominoes, reading.
• Do some exercise, e.g., skipping, walking, running.
• Use your faith to help you cope by praying or reading scripture.
• Listen to music.
• Talk with someone about your thoughts and feelings.
• Spend time with friends and family.
• Get good sleep/rest.
• Eat balanced meals.
• Continue to do normal, every day activities, e.g., cooking, sweeping the yard, dusting.
• Make jokes or find something to laugh about.
• Spend time with your children.
• Dance.

Source: Jamaica Red Cross