Long after the waters have receded, there are scars that remain in the community, ones that are not easily recognised – in fact, many people may not even be consciously aware they have these scars, but they are there, none the less.
Counsellor and Social Worker from the Gympie Women’s Health Centre said Gympie’s historic “I’m all right, there are worse off than me” attitude may be doing more harm than good to our psychological wellbeing.
“The pain of traumatic experiences doesn’t go away when we try to ‘soldier on’ – it becomes embodied, negatively impacting our choices and reducing our resilience moving forward, making us more vulnerable,” she said.
“We need to feel it in order to heal it and, when it is overwhelming, there is no shame in needing some professional support to do that.”
Fiona said members of the community are experiencing all sorts of psychological issues as a direct result of the 2022 Floods, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and the despair of homelessness.
And the manifestation of these issues can include high anxiety and panic attacks, social isolation, self-harm, suicidal ideation, flashbacks, insomnia, loss of appetite and confusion.
Often, it is not easy for an individual to recognise these issues within themselves, and that is where friends and family can help with the healing, by identifying tell-tale signs that someone needs a hand.
Fiona said recognising changes in mood and behaviour, eg negative self-talk, uncharacteristic angry outbursts, reduced tolerance to stress, withdrawal from usual activities and increased addictive behaviours could all point to a person struggling to cope emotionally.
And feeling this way is not a sign of weakness and is to be expected in the face of adversities.
“It is normal and natural to experience grief after loss, anger in the face of injustice, anxiety when feeling unsafe and helpless, and confusion when the challenges are overwhelming us,” she said.
Recognising you don’t need to do it on your own, and that help is available is the first step to recovery and Fiona says seeking assistance can be as simple as a trip to the doctor or heading online.
“They can see their GP for a Mental Health Care Plan for subsidised access to a Psychologist or Mental Health Social Worker or access online resources such as mindfulness apps, Black Dog Institute and Beyond Blue.
“Local women can be put on the Gympie Women’s Health Centre’s wait list to see a Counsellor and local men can access Uniting Care Community,” she said.
