Easing The Stress: Fire Season and PTSD

Have you been dealing with stress and worries about the upcoming fire season?

Today I want to talk to you a bit about PTSD as well as what you can do to feel a bit more prepared and okay during this rough time we’re having with COVID and the additional stress of potential fires.

One of the best ways to deal with the anxiety about potential fires or natural disasters is to have yourself be ready in-case it happens. This is so important especially since, here in California, we have had a lot of fires over the last 3 years. Having a plan in place for yourself that you can execute easily in the event of a fire or disaster will ease a lot of your concerns and stress now and in the unfortunate event that something happens.

What to do if the power is out in your house:

• Pack your freezer full of ice.
• Buy a generator.
• Have lamps and lanterns around your home that are solar or battery powered.
• Have a stash of food that doesn’t need refrigeration or much prep to eat.
• Get a small propane camping stove to use for cooking.
• Have a big jug of fresh drinking water (preferably glass) on hand at all times.

What to do if there’s an evacuation:

Find places in advance that would be comfortable and safe for you and your family to go. For example, I’ve done research on hotels I could go to in-case of evacuation. Now I have a list of hotels and places from nearby in my area to even a few states away that will make it easier for me to pick up and go if necessary.

How to prepare for a sudden need to leave your home:

Have things you need readily available and easy to grab (ie in a back pack) so that you can grab it and go if there’s not a lot of time to spare. Here are a few things to pack and have on hand at all times:

• 10-30 day supply of medications and supplements that are vitally important (Be sure to label them and set a date in your phone calendar to swap these out so they never expire on you).
• Copies of important documents.
• Toiletries like toothbrush, toothpaste, soap etc..
• Clothing options to change into quickly when you need to go in-case you need to leave in the middle of the night. Have these at bedside.
• A cash stash to pay for things in-case credit cards and digital payments are unavailable. (this was true in recent fires)
• Essential snacks and water

Other things to think about preparing in-case of emergency:

• Place shoes and clothing near or under your bed that you can throw on quickly if you need to run from your home late at night.
• Put ladders upstairs so it’s easier to exit from windows if necessary.
• Prepare a water supply for your home and plan to refresh it regularly.

If you’re dealing with PTSD from past fire seasons or similar events, I urge you to contact me so I can help you get what you need to prepare emotionally. I’ve been hearing from a few clients that there are concerns after rebuilding and regrouping from the last seasons that more will happen this year. It’s important to be prepared with the physical supplies you need but also the mental supplies and support as well.

Natural disasters cause many problems for people. We often speak of the property damage, but what about the physical effects of being in a fire zone, or hurricane? Each disaster causes unique physical concerns, but some things are common in the disaster settings.

I have created a resource that you can use now so that you will have access to an outline of how to handle various health issues that you might experience from a disaster. You can find it here:

Disaster Recovery: Tools For Healing From Natural Disasters by Dr. Shiroko Sokitch, MD

Ask me anything!

Let me know if you have any questions that I can help you with. I’m here for you during these unpredictable times and have set up a telemedicine service to get you the help you most need. Call my office at: 707.524.9640

You can also head over to my Instagram or Facebook and leave a comment or message me about your questions or concerns! I love hearing from you.

Love,

Shiroko

Inexplicable ailments, chronic pain and other mystery issues with your body do not have to be a forever thing. You can heal! Pick up a copy of my book – Healing When It Seems Impossible: 7 Keys To Defy The Odds.