Dealing with stress associated with bushfires or other significant life events
AABATInc.-March2020
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Background Followingthestressfulsummerthattookplaceover2019–2020,AABAThostedabushfirerecoverywebinar.AABAT’spolicyunithascollaboratedwithotherleadingprofessionalstoprovideinformaHonthatassistswithmanagingstress.ThisincludesinformaHonaboutfurthersupportresources.
WeacknowledgealltheprofessionalsacrosstheAABATcommunitywhohavecometogethertosharetheirstoriesoflossandcontributetothebelowconsideraHonstosupportrecovery.
Purpose
ThispaperseekstoprovidekeyconsideraHonsinsupporHngselfandotherstoreducetheimpactoffuturestressresponse/s.ThisissharedasanopenresourcefortheAABATcommunitybytheAABATpolicyunit.
Introduction ThewebinarconversaHonhighlightedthefollowingrealiHesamongsttheAABATcommunity,thesearewellsupportedbyliterature.
• Manypeopleinourcommunityhaveexperiencedthreateningbushfiresorothersignificantlifeeventsthatcontributetofrighteningandchallengingfeelings.Thishashadadirectimpactonourwellbeing,senseofsafetyandconnecHon.
• Wehaveseenariseinlabels,judgmentsanddisputesthatperpetuateblame,shameandwhichcandividecommuniHes.
• Weallrespondtothingslike‘disasters’,trauma,griefandlossdifferentlyandwemusteachfindavehicleandpaceofrecoverythatsuitsus.Manyhaveadualresponsibility/iesinhelpingothersonthisjourney.
• AtHmestheresponsesthatariseinusfollowingbushfiresorothersignificantlifeeventsarenotcommensuratewithourpersonalvalues.ThiscreatesapersonalsenseofmalalignmentwhichcanbeaconsciousorsubconsciousreacHon.
• Ourcommunitysharesmanystrengthsandresourcesthatcanbeharnessedtomeetthechallengesthatlieahead.
Key Considerations ToeffecHvelyrespondtostressandotherfeelingsassociatedwiththebushfiresormajorlifetransiHonsitcanbehelpfultounderstandthekeytheorythatunderpinsourresponse.
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Social Ecological Recovery SocialecologicalrecoveryacknowledgesthatthenarraHvesfollowingmajordisasterscanbothinhibitandpromoterecovery.ThesenarraHvescanperpetuatestressresponsestothenaturalenvironmentandinfluencesubsequentdecisionmaking.Thisconceptprovidesabroadercontext,amoreglobalstressresponse,fromwhichtoconsiderourindividualstressresponses.
• SociallyprescribednarraHvescanreinforceunhelpfulrelaHonshipswithnatureduringnaturaldisasters.TheseoTeninvolveblamingnaHvevegetaHonforcausingtheharm.
• MediawilloTenuseemoHvelanguagepersonifyinganddemonisingnaturalelements;creaHngacrimoniousrelaHonshipswithnatureandbetweenthosewithdifferingviewsandexperiences.
• Werefertothesesense-makingmythstoenableustomakesenseofacatastrophe;howevertheseprovideanabsoluteandbinaryviewofsituaHonsthatarereallycomplex.
• UlHmatelythesesocialaWtudes,retoldinmyths,influencetheresponseofdecisionmakersinprescribingthesocialresponse.
• Nature-blamingnarraHvespotenHallybiasthewaysinwhichhumanbeingsmakedecisionsthroughpolicy.ThereisariskthatideologythenincreasesthecondiHonsthatfueltheriskoffires.Thishasbeencentraltoclimate-changenarraHves.
• FrontlineresponderstoacatastrophereceiveadeservedproporHonofaccoladesandsupport;howeveroTentheeffortsandbeliefsofothersgounacknowledgedandcanbedemonisedalongwithnature.Thiscancontributetocommunitystresses.
• Socialecologicalrecoveryrequiresustostepbackandreflect,especiallyunderpressurefromsocialdriversforanimmediate,reacHveresponsethatresultsincontradictoryoutcomesforpeopleandnature.
• Grief,combinedwithbinarymediadepicHons,cancontributetofearofnaturalenvironmentsthatpreventsocialecologicalrecovery.
• Theseblame-riddennarraHvesmayconfuseoursocialunderstandingofriskandhowtoliveintheAustralianenvironment.
Source:Strong,S(2017).Furtherreading.
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Stress and Trauma Majoreventssuchasthebushfirescantriggerdirecttraumaresponses,increasedlevelsofstressandtraumaHcmemories.Theseresponsesmustbeunderstood,acknowledgedandindividuallyinterpretedtoenablepersonalrecovery.SomeHmesthisrequiresthesupportofothers.
• Mostresearchlinkstraumatoexperience/sof‘toxicstress’and/orrupturewhichhashadanimpactuponthebrainoronbraindevelopment.
FromaneurodevelopmentalperspecHve,traumaisnottheevent.Itistheindividual’sresponsetotheevent.TraumaHcstressoccurswhenanextremeexperienceoverwhelmsandalterstheindividual’sstressrelatedphysiologicalsystemsinawaythatresultsinfuncHonalcompromiseinanyofthewidelydistributedstressresponsesystem(Ungar,M.&Perry,B.D.2012:pg7).
• ExperienceofatraumaHcevent(rupture)withoutrepaircancontributetofuturetraumacues(predisposiHontotrauma)andtriggerareducHonincurrentwellbeing.
• EventhosewhodidnotdirectlywitnessorhavetorespondtothebushfirescanexperiencetraumaHcresponsestohearingaboutand/orseeingimagesofthebushfires.
• Traumawilldisconnect,isolateanddestabiliseotherwisehealthysystems.
• Everyonehasawindowoftoleranceanddifferenttriggerpoints.Stresscanbegoodwhenitispredictable,moderateandcontrolledasitcanbuildresilience.Itbecomestoxicwhenitisunpredictable,severe,prolongedandifpre-exisHngvulnerabilityexists.
• Stressresponsescanbeperpetuatedbysocialmediaandalerts.Thesepresentaconstanttriggertoremainalert.
Windowoftolerance:OTen our personal copingbehaviours or receiving supportf rom others ( for examplethrough co-regulaHon) enablesour lived experience to remainwithin our window of toleranceor safe zone. Stressors canstretchthisoutsideoursafezonecontribuHngtoahyper-orhypo-arousal response. Prolongedexperience in this state cancontributeto‘toxicstress’.
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• OtherpeopleacHveinsocialmediacanusethisplabormtooffloadtheirstress.Thiscanhaveanunintendedimpactofenhancingthestressofreaderswhohavealsobeenaffected.Thiskeepsusinahypervigilantstate.
• BraindevelopmentissequenHalandateachstagewedevelopbehavioursthatsupportregulaHon;wherepeoplehaveexperiencedongoingtraumathroughoutdifferentstagesoftheirlives,theirwindowoftolerancemaybesmaller,andtheirpotenHaltobetriggeredbyexposuretopossibletraumacuesmaybegreater.Wherepeoplehavehadpriorexperienceofsimilartrauma,forexampletheBlackSaturdaybushfires,theymaybemorevulnerabletoastressresponsesnow.
• ItisimportanttorecognisethatpeoplehavethepotenHaltohealandrecoverfromthesetypesoftraumaHcexperiencesandmayexperiencegrowthandincreasedresiliencewithappropriatesupport.
• AtHmesofstressweoTenhavetocareforlowerlevelbrainfuncHonsfirst(BrainstemandDiencephalonCerebellum)forexampleourbodytemperature,beforeaeendingtoemoHonalneeds(Limbic).Thismayinvolveengaginginrhythmic,repeHHveacHviHeswhichregulatethelowerlevelbrainfuncHons,forexample,goingforawalk,swimming,playingamusicalinstrumentbeforeaccessingemoHonalsupport.
• OurabilitytoengagewithconcretecogniHonsandreflecHon(NeoCortex)isusuallycompromisedduringandaTerstressfulexperiencesandweneedtoaeendtoourlowerlevelneedsbeforeaskingourselvesorotherstoengageincogniHveprocessing.ThismeansavoidingcomplexcogniHvetherapiesunHlbothourbasicneedsandlowerlevelbrainfuncHonshavereceivedsupport.
• Burnoutisaresultofstressaccumulatedoverlong-terminvolvementinsituaHonsthatareemoHonallydemanding.
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Grief and Loss InaddiHontostressortraumareacHons,anormalresponsetotraumaHcevents(parHcularlybushfires)includesfeelingsofgriefandloss.
• GriefandlossarenotonlyexperiencedwhenweloseaphysicaloremoHonalaeachment,itcanbeassociatedwithanylossofcontrol,independenceorsocialsystem.WeoTenforgettoacknowledgethegriefthatcanarisefromanyloss.
• OTengriefiscomplex,youmaybedealingwithalosswhilealsoperformingarole(suchascaregiverorprofessional)whereyouaresupporHngotherstodealwithgriefandthiscanoccurwithinacommunitydealingwithgrief.Thismakesmanaginggriefhard.
• Itcanbecomplicatedbypre-exisHngphysicalorpsychologicalissuesandalsofinancialworry.Howevergriefisanormalresponsetolossanddoesnotneedtobemanagedasamentalillness.
• GriefcanoccurfollowingalossthathappenedsomeHmeagoorcancomethroughanexperienceofcumulaHveloss.
• PhilosophicalandspiritualquesHonsmightariseregardingfaithorthemeaningoflifeatHmesofgriefandloss.
• Thegrievingprocessisnotlinearbutcyclicandwillre-appearatdifferentHmesacrossthelifespanorastheresultofmemorytriggers.
Eco Burnout Thinkingaboutsocial,psychologicalandenvironmentalrecoverymustbeinformedbytheaboveconcepts.InaddiHontothisweacknowledgethemacroexperienceofclimatechangeandtheprevailingsenseofworrythiscanbuild.TheAustralianPsychologicalSocietyhasreleasedspecificadviceaboutnoHcingandrespondingtotheburnouttowhichclimateworrycontributes.
Ecoburnoutrelatesto:
• Holdinginmind,orbeingaware,ofalarge,complex,globalproblem.
• Seeingclimateproblemsasoverwhelmingandurgent.
• Carryingaburdenofknowledgethatsocietyasawholeisunableorunwillingtoface.
• HoldingprolongedaeenHonondisturbingandnegaHveinformaHonandfutureprojecHons.
• HavinghighlevelsofinvestmentandunrelenHngcommitmenttotheissue.
• Knowingthatourfellowhumanbeings,andourownwayoflife,havebothunwiWngandunintenHonalnegaHveconsequencesontheenvironment.
• AburdenofknowingthatsocietyasawholeisdisconnectedandnottakingacHon.
Source:heps://www.psychology.org.au/getmedia/994934a8-2916-4599-8806-aa3e0d2fd3c3/Dealing-with-burnout-climate-change.pdf
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How can you respond to these feelings and experience
ThefollowingprovidesinformaHononhowyoucannoHceandrespondtostressandotherfeelingsassociatedwiththebushfiresormajorlifetransiHons.
WarningSignscanincludeamongstotherthings:
• StressresponsesmaypresentasangerorfrustraHonandirritability.
• Theycanalsopresentwithaflaeereffect—e.g.lossofenergy,depressivesymptoms.
• TraumaHcstressmaypresentasmemorylossanddifficultywithfocusandaeenHon.
• Feelingsofhopelessness.
• Feelingsofguiltwhenengaginginself-care.
• UnbalancedHmespentonthings—e.g.noHcingspendingtoolongatwork.
• Tensioninthebody
• SuppressedorsHmulatedappeHte
• Sleeplessness
• Panicaeacks
• RepeHHvethinkingabouttheissueorexperience
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Self Care OurAABATcommunityisoTenprovidingsupporttoothers.TosafelyandeffecHvelydoso,afocusonlookingaTerselfiskey.
• Ensureyourbasicphysiologicalneedsarebeingmet(shelter,food,water,clothing,sleepandwewouldadd….socialconnecHon).
• Acknowledgethatgriefandlossarepresentandaimtobuildsupportaroundyourselfandothersassoonaspossible.
• EngageinacHviHesthatbringyouintothepresentandsupportyouinremaininggrounded,forexamplemindfulness,yogaandotherexercise.
• RestricHngunhelpfulbehaviours—e.g.engagingwithappsthatkeepyouhypervigilantorunhelpfulsubstanceuse.
• ThebrainhasastrongrewardsystemanditisnaturalforustoseekpleasurethroughacHvaHngthe‘feel-good’chemicalsinthebrain.Wherethisisdoneinunhealthyorunhelpfulwayssuchasthroughsubstanceusewemayexperiencetemporaryreliefbutthiscomesatacosttoourlongtermhealthandwellbeing.Itisimportantnottosimplyremovetheunhelpfulbehaviour,buttoreplaceitwiththingsthatofferhealthyreward.
• PosiHvesocialconnecHoniskey.SeekrelaHonshipsthatprovidestructure:consistent,predictable,stablepaeernsthatcreatehealthy“Firingandwiring”opportuniHesforneurobiologicalsystems.
• Seekhealthy,safe,stableandsupporHveenvironments.Havefun.
• Re-establishconsistentandpredictablerouHnesforyourself.
• Seekandprovidecompassionandnurturetoselfandothers—engagewithyourselfempatheHcally.
• AllbrainfuncHoningisstatedependent:PromoteselfregulaHon—breathing,distracHon,groundedness.
• Usegroundingandself-compassiontechniquestotargetlowerpartsofthebrain—itmaynotbeappropriatetotargetthe‘raHonal’cortex…..yet.
• Usestatements,notquesHons—expressyourneeds.
• Goodenoughisgoodenough—don’tbehardonyourself.
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Connecting with nature Weacknowledgethattraumaexperiencesandfeelingsofstress,griefandlosswithinthecontextofnaturaldisastershaveimpactedonourrelaHonshipwithnature.SomeconsideraHonsinreconnecHngwithnatureinclude:
• ReframedescripHonsoftheenvironmentandpeopleawayfromdisconnectedandconflict-drivennarraHvestowardsconnectedsocio-ecologicalsystems.
• MakeconnecHonwithnaturesafe—undertakeacHviHesthatavoidfeartriggersandallowagraduatedre-exposuretoanyplacesthatmightbringupfeelingsofloss.
• Connectwiththenaturalworldatamicrolevel—readchangesinthenaturalenvironmentthatarewithinyourimmediateworld.GiveyourselfHmetogetbacktothenaturalplacesyouhavepreviouslyaccessed.
• AcknowledgethatthereexistsaneedforabroaderglobalresponsebutalsoanimmediatepersonalimperaHvetoconnectwithyourimmediateworld.ConsideracHviHesthatenable‘grounding’ofselfinnature.
• GivespaceforunscriptedinteracHonwithnature,acHvateplayresponses.
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Supporting others FollowingyourfocusonselfcareandsafereconnecHonwithnatureweencourageyoutoconsiderhowyoucanbestsupportothers.ThiswillincludereflecHononthekeyconsideraHonsaboveandhowtheymightapplytoothersaswellasensuringanevidence-informedresponse.InsupporHngothersyoumayliketoconsider:
• RecognisethatrecoveryisaveryindividualprocessandHmingisimportant—basicneedsmightneedtocomefirst.
• Beawarethatothersmayremaininahypervigilantstateandthiscantriggerfurtherissues.Youmayberespondingtoacopingbehaviourinsomeoneratherthanthepersonthemselves.Thepersonisnottheproblem.
• WhencommunicaHngwithothers,accountfortheshockthatyouortheymayhaveexperienced.ThismeansinformaHonwilloTenneedtoberevisited.
• Maintainboundaries—unpredictablechangesinarelaHonshipcanelicitfurtherstressresponses.
• EncouragechildrentodeterminetheirownrecoveryandtrytoprovidespaceforcreaHvity,expressionandplay.Listentoyour‘innerchild’andwhatneedsmaybeunmet.
• Beconsciousabouttheuseofabsolutelanguagesuchas‘never’,‘always’,etc.andavoiddescribingcomplexsituaHonsinbinaryways.
ForfurtherinformaHononavailablesupportssee:heps://aabat.org.au/bushfire-recovery-resources/
Imagesdonatedby:Pepperjophotography2009