The widespread wildfires are causing anxiety even for those far from the burn areas. Experts share coping strategies to help manage the stress and fear.
Even if you're nowhere near any of the fires right now, the widespread emergency is triggering more anxiety for many of us. Experts showed us some coping strategies to help ease those feelings. 'I can't express enough how sorry I am for this experience,' said Kevin McGowan, director of the Office of Emergency Management for Los Angeles County. He acknowledged how erroneous emergency alerts added unnecessary fear and anxiety.
'I think it's really triggering for folks, because it could be real,' said Dr. Ashley Zucker, a Child, Adult and Adolescent psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente San Bernardino. When she received an alert, she told her kids not to panic. Then she followed the advice she would give any of her patients. 'I checked my other resources. Is there a fire near my home? Is this true that I need to evacuate? OK, this was a false alarm. It must apply to somebody else,' Zucker said. She said the unpredictable nature of the wildfires is making everyone feel vulnerable. 'I think that's really changed that sense of safety for so many people, and I think that's really a primary driver of a lot of the anxiety that people are experiencing right now,' she said. Destruction, the loss of beloved pets, evacuations, injuries and the deaths of loved ones could have mental health effects that could last months or even years. Even those far from burn areas are dealing with upheaval. Closed schools mean working parents are scrambling for childcare. 'It's very reminiscent of COVID, right, when people were still working and their kids were home and doing virtual school, and how to navigate that,' said Zucker. Even in times of chaos, Zucker advises trying to get back to a daily routine. 'Maybe you can't go to work or you can't go home, but you know, waking up at the same time every day, having your meals at the same time every day, Things like that can actually be very, very helpful,' she said. Also, create an action plan for any situation you're in. It lets your kids know you're prepared as a family. And what can also go a long way in reducing anxiety is to find ways to reach out and connect with others. 'Recognize and thank and support our first responders who are really, you know, putting their lives on the line to make sure that all of us are OK. You know, I think it's that ability to give back in any way possible also can be very, very rewarding when we're going through something that is so incredibly difficult,' Zucker said
WILDFIRES ANXIETY MENTALHEALTH COPING SUPPORT
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