Current Events - How Are You Coping?

I've felt so helpless over this tragedy. And I've shed so amny tears. But today, I decided to find ways to NOT feel helpless anymore. I live in Texas and a church in my community is working with the Red Cross and has opened a shelter here. I'm going there tomorrow with my cell phone (free nights and weekends) so that people who want to can use it. And I volunteered to work two mornings next week. I feel like I have to DO something about it.

And I'm sure I'll probably cry when I talk to these people. I'm hoping that it won't freak them out. That they'll be glad to have someone to cry with. I hope, I hope, I hope.

That's awesome, Jammer.

Good for you.

Petunia

Thats truly a great thing you are doing. Good for you!

Argh, I am feeling it hit me harder. Time to call a news ban further on myself, I did not think I was taking in much, but I need to take more of a break from reading articles, listening to radio reports, looking at photos.

Reading about the Mayor of New Orleans speaking out about the conditions........I then started to look at some of the lists of folks missing......then stopped myself and turned to something else.

I can feel my stress level notched up, much more fatigue and pain and jitteriness, hypervigilance beginning to reoccur. So, time for me to get real.

Real means I have to admit that I am disabled, that I know negative stress winds my symptoms up immensely, that getting sicker won't help folks in the disaster. Time to pop open my tool box and use those coping skills.

I have a good book to read, I have food in the house, and I can rest up.

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
SarahL said:
.....then stopped myself and turned to something else.

I can feel my stress level notched up, much more fatigue and pain and jitteriness, hypervigilance beginning to reoccur. So, time for me to get real.

Real means I have to admit that I am disabled, that I know negative stress winds my symptoms up immensely, that getting sicker won't help folks in the disaster. Time to pop open my tool box and use those coping skills.

I have a good book to read, I have food in the house, and I can rest up.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> smart lady you!

thank you for sharing this wisdom here. many could benefit from this as 24/7 news on television and computer can suck one in before one knows it.

as i've seen the millions of dollars go in to the Red Cross, i've made a donation to The American Humane Society. They are down there, setting up shelters and finding animals...this includes dogs, cats, poultry, horses, cows, goats, donkeys, mules and sheep. i can't imagine what it must be like for the animals. so, i decided that i would throw my penny in for them.........

I was at PetSmart today and they are taking donations too.

I'd seen on the news earlier that a man tried to give a stranded dog some water but the pooch was in absolute shock and just barked and wouldn't drink it.



This is really starting to hit me hard. The helplessness of not being able to save the dying (family history) or rescue the needy, is a major PTSD trigger for me so I'm trying to deal as best as I can, knowing that.

Maybe I just need to stop fighting it and cry my heart out.

Petunia

Animals, I've had to avoid most of the news concerning the pets.

I have a feeling I also need to just let myself cry.