Doctor on the effects a traumatic event can have on mental health

FATHOM JUST HOW DEVASTATING THE SITUATION IS AND THE TOLL THIS KIND OF TRAGEDY TAKES ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF THE RESIDENTS, THEIR LOVED ONES, AND ALSO THE FIRST RESPONDERS. HERE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS IS DOCTOR CHRISTINA MONTALVO, CHIEF OF EMERGENCY PSYCHIATRY AT █TUFT MEDICAL CENTER. THANKS FOR JOINING US, DOCTOR. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. SO WHETHER IT’S SOMEONE WHO WAS RESCUED FROM THE FIRE OR SOMEONE WHO TRIED TO RESCUE OTHERS, MANY PEOPLE ARE STILL IN DISBELIEF. PERHAPS SHOCK. HOW LONG CAN SHOCK LAST UNTIL IT REALLY SETS IN? YOU KNOW, SHOCK CAN LAST DIFFERENT TIMES DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, THE STAGES OF ADJUSTMENT. BUT LIKE YOU SAID, SHOCK CAN ENCOMPASS EMOTIONS RANGING FROM ANGER, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, FEELING HOPELESS. BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVING SEEN THE LOSS OF FRIENDS OR LOVED ONES, BUT ALSO THE LOSS OF THEIR MOST PRIZED BELONGINGS, THEIR HOME, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE PLACE FOR THEM? YOU KNOW, IT’S DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE WHAT SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE SAW, WHAT THEY HEARD. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM ABOUT GETTING THERAPY? SO THERAPY AND FINDING HELP WITH THESE TYPE OF SITUATIONS CAN RANGE FROM TALKING TO LOVED ONES TO FRIENDS, TO PEER SUPPORTS WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH. AND OF COURSE, IF SYMPTOMS ARE TO DEVELOP WHERE PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO SLEEP, THEY’RE NOTICING THIS HOPELESSNESS OR DEPRESSION GETS WORSE AND AFFECTING THEIR LIFE. SEEKING COUNSELING AND PROFESSIONAL MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH CAN RANGE FROM THERAPY AND EVEN TO MEDICATION AND MORE EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES, WE KNOW FIREFIGHTERS AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS, THEY SEE SO MUCH AND THEY’RE TRAINED TO HANDLE THESE TYPES OF EMERGENCIES. BUT WHAT MAY BE SOME SIGNS THEY SHOULD SEEK EXTRA SUPPORT? FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER RATE OF MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. OBVIOUSLY, GIVEN THE LINE OF THEIR WORK, WHICH RANGES FROM DEALING WITH HUMAN SUFFERING TO MAKING LIFE AND DEATH DECISIONS. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SEE IN THIS EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCE OF A FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE, SOMETHING WE SAW DURING COVID. BUT IN THE DAY IN AND DAY OUT OF WHAT THEY’RE ASKED TO DO. AND SO THEY SIMILARLY HAVE TO SEEK OUT HELP. AND THAT IS PEER RECOVERY. THERE ARE SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AS WELL ACROSS THE STATE TO REALLY ADDRESS THAT SPECIALIZED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS AND PROTECT THOSE WHO ARE PROTECTING US. DOCTOR MONTALVO, THANK YOU SO