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