PTSD and the Psychological Effects of Hurricane Katrina

PTSD and the Psychological Effects of Hurricane Katrina PTSD Causes Print PTSD and the Psychological Effects of Hurricane Katrina Natural Disasters and PTSD By Matthew Tull, PhD twitter Matthew Tull, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Toledo, specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder. Learn about our editorial policy Matthew Tull, PhD Updated on January 29, 2020 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Overview Symptoms & Diagnosis Causes & Risk Factors Treatment Living With In Children ParkerDeen / Getty Images Near the end of August 2005, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, and this event has led many to examine whether there is a relationship between PTSD and Hurricane Katrina. All across the United States, people watched as the citizens of the Gulf Coast attempted to cope with this natural disaster. Hurricane Katrina caused a tremendous amount of physical damage. Entire communities were destroyed. However, we are just beginning to truly understand the psychological impact of this hurricane. The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Mental Health Researchers at the University of New Orleans, the University of Southern Mississippi, Stanford University, and Arizona State University surveyed 386 people who lived in areas that were affected by Hurricane Katrina. They asked them a number of questions about how the hurricane affected them. What they found is alarming. Many people impacted by Hurricane Katrina experienced stressful and traumatic events during and as a result of the hurricane. In fact, people said they experienced, on average, about 2 traumatic events during the course of the storm. Many also said that they had the following experiences: Being separated from their children, friends, neighbors, and relativesHaving their home damaged or destroyedSeeing others who were hurt, sick, or had diedGetting hurt or sickSeeing crime or violence In addition, over 50% of people surveyed also reported that they had the following symptoms of PTSD and general distress: Upsetting memories and thoughts about the hurricaneFeeling upset after being reminded of the hurricaneTrying to avoid thoughts, feelings, and conversations about the eventIncreased irritability and angerWorries that the event could happen againFeeling on edge and tense Finally, they found that residents of Mississippi who were affected by the hurricane had a greater number of PTSD symptoms as compared to people in New Orleans; however, people in Mississippi also were found to have more social support than people in New Orleans. Getting Help It is clear that Hurricane Katrina had a major social and psychological impact on people in the Gulf Coast region of the United States. If you have been affected by Hurricane Katrina or any other natural disaster, there is help available. The National Center for PTSD provides a number of fact sheets on the effects of natural disasters and how to cope with them. They also provide links for people interested in sending help or for those who need help, such as finding loved ones or receiving support.