Why Do I Feel This Way? For Anyone Impacted by the China Earthquake.

Disasters can make us all feel vulnerable, whether we are impacted directly or indirectly.  Events such as earthquakes can seem to have no rhyme or reason as to how they start and the damage they can inflict upon people’s property and their lives. 

Why is this event so stressful?

•  Loss.  We may experience the loss directly or indirectly. Sometimes one loss can remind us of other losses that we have had.
• Lack of control.  Part of what makes all disasters so unnerving is they reveal our limitations as human beings. Despite our best human efforts, natural disasters can and do escape our ability to control them and the damage they can do. Innocent people can get hurt, property is destroyed, beautiful areas are ruined, and we can feel helpless.

• Emotional overload.  We might be feeling like we can’t catch our breath between disasters. We may find ourselves moody, irritable impatient or have difficulty concentrating. These are all normal reactions to catastrophic events.

• Fear of additional destruction.  We don’t know what will happen next, so we are in a state of alert.

• Uncertainty.  We don’t know when this situation will be contained, or if other disasters loom on the horizon; and if we are relocated, we don’t know when we can return, and what may be facing us when we do. If we are assisting others, the indefinite nature of this event can also be stressful.

• Trauma associated with seeing so much destruction so close at hand.  Seeing the tremendous destructive power of earthquakes and the possibility of being in harm’s way can be very disturbing.

• Feelings that there should have been some way to prevent such a disaster from happening. 

• Media coverage.  When we view and review the damage repeatedly, we can all be impacted by the disaster.

*For a Chinese translation of this handout, please click here.

*For additional information on coping with traumatic events, please click here.

This Document was prepared by the personnel of the Counseling and Psychological Services Center at California State University, East Bay.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

The Student Counseling Service offers free confidential counseling for all students. Call 529-4634 if you are interested in receiving individual counseling.

We are located at 195 Health Services Center.

Last Updated: 04-18-07
Contact: hollenjd@muohio.edu
(513)529-4634