Over the last six weeks, the Thomas Fire followed by torrential flooding last week killed nearly two dozen people and destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes. But there are ways to cope with the devastation.
You may feel anxious, fearful, angry, confused or helpless after the recent natural disasters took a toll on the South Coast.
“Those unusual or troubling thoughts and feelings are a normal response to an abnormal event,” says Dr. Crystal Ramirez – a therapist with New Beginnings Counseling Center in Santa Barbara.
She says there are ways to manage those feelings.
“Drinking plenty of water, eating nutritious food, limiting caffeine and alcohol. Staying in contact with family and friends, talking about what happened, talking about the impacts. Either establishing a routine or going back to whatever your normal routine was,” Ramirez says.
She says it will take time to get through these emotions. So, be patient.