Managing Stress After A

DisasterPresented by Dr. Diane Sasser

and Dr. Rebecca White, Family

Development Extension Specialists, LSU AgCenterDeveloped by Kim Evans, Extension Agent

Family Stress Management

Even strong families can be stressed to the point of

crisis and thus be immobilized.

Goals and ObjectivesParticipants will be able to: Identify personal signs or

symptoms of stress Define ways to cope with

stress Develop a personal plan to

cope with the stress in their life

Stress in Everyday Life

The majority of individuals and families are suffering from stress

Stress can make people sick Stress affects people’s

emotional well-being and work productivity

Stress is unavoidable

StressorsMajor life events –death, divorce, relocation

Minor life events—daily hassles

Chronic Stressors –illness, disability, poverty, discrimination

Health Problems Related to Stress

Allergies Arthritis Asthma Pain in neck,

back, shoulder

Colds and Flu

Headaches Heart

problems Insomnia Skin

Problems Stomach

Problems

ABC -X Model

B - ResourcesFamily’s resources or strengths

C - Perceptions

A - Event X-Degree of StressProvoking event or stressor

Meaning attached to event

Stress and crisis

Event – Significant, Enough to Provoke

Change

Family’s Resources - At Time of Event

Perceptions –Meaning Attached to Event

You know you're from the Gulf Coast when...

You have FEMA's number on speed dial. You have more than 300 'C' and 'D' batteries in

your kitchen drawer. When describing your house to a prospective

buyer, you say it has three bedrooms, two baths and one safe hallway.

You are on a first-name basis with the cashier at Home Depot.

You are delighted to pay $3 for a gallon of regular unleaded.

The road leading to your house has been declared a No-Wake  Zone.

You decide that your patio furniture looks better on the bottom of the pool.

You can wish that other people get hit by a hurricane and not feel the least bit guilty about it.

Degree of Stress

External ContextCultureHistoryEconomyDevelopmentHeredity

Internal ContextStructural

Psychological

Philosophical

Values and Beliefs Values and

beliefs of family determine its action when faced with a problem

Fatalism—family belief system that leans toward passive acceptance

Gender differences

Look, Honey, I just bought the answer to all our problems!

Family Coping Process of managing a

stressful event or situation by the family as a unit with no negative effects on any individual in that family

The Good, The Bad, and The UglyGood

TechniquesBad

Techniques

5 Stages of GriefShock and Denial

AngerBargainingDepressionAcceptance

Coping Strategies

Problem solving Inherited rules and patterns of

coping Sometimes the best strategy is

to reorganize Managing as positive outcome

Proven Coping Strategies*Burr, Klein and Associates

Relationships Spirituality Communication Cognitive Emotional Community Individual

Development

Relationships

Increase togetherness

Develop increased trust

Increase cooperation

Increase tolerance

Spirituality

Be more involved in religious activity Increase faith or seek help from

higher being

Communication

Be open and honest

Listen to each other

Be sensitive to non-verbal communication

Activity

Heart to Heart cards

Cognitive

Be accepting of the situation and others

Gain useful knowledge

Change how the situation is viewed or defined

Emotional

Express feelings and affection

Avoid or resolve negative feelings and disabling expressions of emotion

Be sensitive to other’s emotional needs

Community

Seek help and support from others

Fulfill expectations in organizations

Individual Development

Develop autonomy, independence and self-sufficiency

Keep active in hobbies

LaughterBy yourself or with somebodyThe human race has only one really effective weapon, and that's laughter.

The moment it arises, all our harnesses yield, all our irritations slip

away, and a sunny spirit takes their place. Mark Twain

Joy Breaks: Fun in Small Doses

Less than 5 minutes

cup of coffee

Up to 30 minutes

short walk

Up to 2 days

read a book

2 days or longer

attend a conference

You know you’re from the Gulf Coast when: You catch a 13-pound redfish - in your driveway. You can recite from memory whole portions of your

homeowner's insurance policy. At cocktail parties, women are attracted to the guy

with the biggest chainsaw. There is a blue tarp where your roof used to be. Someone comes to your door to tell you they found

your roof. Ice is a valid topic of conversation. Relocating to South Dakota does not seem like such a

crazy  idea. You spend more time on your roof then in your living

room. You've been laughed at over the phone by a roofer,

fence builder or a tree worker. A battery powered TV is considered a home

entertainment center. You don't worry about relatives wanting to visit

during the summer. Having a tree in your living room does not necessarily

mean it's Christmas.

Children and Traumatic Stress

Signs and symptoms to look for

Helping Children Cope

Take care of yourself :

Physically Emotionally Spiritually

Helping Children Cope

Make them feel safe

Encourage talk about feelings

Answer questions, but keep it simple

Listen

Helping Children Cope

Extra time Return to daily

routines Give them chores Help others Limit TV exposure

Activity

What’s your plan?

Within each of us is a hidden store of energy.Energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life.

Within each of us is a hidden store of courage. Courage to give us the strength to face any challenge.

Within each of us is a hidden store of determination. Determination to keep us in the race when all seems lost."

Roger Dawson

When nothing is sure, everything is possible.

Margaret Drabble - English novelist

References Boss, Pauline (2000). Ambiguous Loss: Learning to

Live With Unresolved Grief. Sage: Thousand Oaks, CA.

Boss, Pauline (2002). Family Stress Management (2nd ed.). Sage: Thousand Oaks, CA.

Burr, Wesley, Klein, Shirley and Associates (1994). Reexamining Family Stress: New Theory and Research. Sage: Thousand Oaks, CA.

Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control

Lingren, Harry (1998). Putting Laughter and Humor in Your Life. Lincoln, NE: Nebraska Extension Service.

Matthews, Wayne. Extension Specialist, North Carolina State University

Rodgers, Fred. (2003) The World According to Mister Rodgers. Hyperion Books: New York

Shuster, Cynthia. Joy Breaks: Fun in Small Doses, Ohio State University Extension