PTSD and Hurricane Katrina Essay - 1112 Words

In times of emergency, life and death, and tragic despair, people often are reminded of the umbrella of stress that hangs over us. With such a world people live in today, at times its common to be caught up in the minor details of life; rather than enjoying the beauty of it all. Almost everyday, we live in a sheltered life, hidden away in our communities, just trying to skate by. But there are sometimes moments that occur in a lifetime, where that sheltered routine, that is so ingrained in our minds, is taken upon differently. August 29, 2005, day one of hurricane Katrina; this date, is one that is permanently ingrained in thousands of citizens of New Orleans. On this day, people have seen family members drown, houses destroyed, as well as†¦show more content†¦According to the journal of urban health, they stated, â€Å"The prevalence of symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of PTSD was 19.2%† (145 DeSalvo). The trauma for these victims did not stop there. Looking over to Marilyn Elias from USA TODAY, she states that, â€Å"The big surprise: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which typically goes away in a year for most disaster survivors, has increased: 21%† (16). But the true question is why is this happening? Why is the average among hurricane Katrina victims going through post-traumatic stress disorder increasing? When analyzing the actual causes of PTSD one must understand that, â€Å"Ordinarily, memories of particular events are remembered as stories that change and deteriorate over time... in PTSD the past is relived with an immediate sensory and emotional intensity† (Van der Kolk (quote within a quote)). Looking upon Van Der Kolk’s words, although Katrina victim’s endure most of their psychological stress through the memory of the incident, the increase diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder relating to victims after hurricane Katrina could be linked back to the inability to leave the city. Ultimately , for those who stayed during hurricane Katrina, they feel as if New Orleans is their only home. But because of this ignorance to flee the city, not only is post-traumatic stress disorder a common occurrence among victims, but it is increasing solely due to the fact that victims are reliving such a tragic memory in the locationShow MoreRelatedThe Severity Of People s Ptsd Symptoms Following The Hurricane967 Words   |  4 Pagespeople s PTSD symptoms following the hurricane was overtly connected to the amount of television coverage they watched of the damage which included the looting of New Orleans, rescue efforts, and evacuations in and around the Superdome and the Convention Center in New Orleans. People fared better in terms of PTSD symptoms if they watched less television coverage overall, especially of the looting. They also benefitted from using prayer as a way of coping with the stress of the hurricane. A naturalRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay1259 Words   |à ‚  6 Pagesstress disorder (PTSD) affects many individuals in the United States. This paper focuses on individuals who survived hurricane Ike and Katrina and as a result, suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder. PTSD can affect an individual for a couple of weeks to a few years after the exposure. People who suffer from PTSD can also suffer from depression and substance use (Odonnell Forbes, 2016). The period after a natural disaster can also feed the negative feelings that come with PTSD, depression, andRead MoreThe Effects Of Hurricane Katrina On The United States824 Words   |  4 Pageshistory was being created. This moment has come to be known as Hurricane Katrina. Her high wind speeds and three days of endless rain led to numerous deaths and astronomical amounts of damages for the residents of Louisiana and Mississippi. 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But there are other catastrophic events that can have such profound impact on peopleRead MoreRisks And Consequences Of Hurricane Katrinas Four Years After Katrina1029 Words   |  5 PagesFour years after Katrina, a mix of progress and inertia. USA Today, 28 Aug. 2009, p. 06A. Global Issues in Context, ezp.gvltec.edu:2048/login?url=http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A206816088/GIC?u=gvltec_mainxid=a646acc3. Accessed 1 Nov. 2017.Summary: In this article it puts into perspective the risk of living near the coast. That is the reason insurance near the coast is so expensive. This is because in the event of a hurricane you could lose your house. The insurance companies will be moreRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Hurricane Kat rina Essay1599 Words   |  7 Pagescranny of the world. No matter the severity, they all appear to have a similar effect: deterioration of mental health stability among those involved. Children and adults alike possess the risk of suffering from mental disorders, such as depression and PTSD, following exposure to a traumatic event. However, the circumstances of these events differ, simply because not all mass tragedies are the same. No matter what type of event occurs, a mass tragedy can mentally scar those involved, putting a population’sRead MoreThe Population Of Hurricane Katrina Essay1437 Words   |  6 Pagesstate, and local levels of government do this in an effort to help reduce injury and property damage as well as ensure the overall safety of the general population. The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season saw the costliest and one of the deadliest storms in United States history. This storm was Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina displaced of an estimated 645,000 Louisiana citizens (Cepeda, Valdez, Kaplan, Hill, 2010). This paper will examine†¦ This storm took a grave toll on the city of New Orleans. TheRead MoreZeitoun Fight or Flight795 Words   |  3 Pagesprotect your belongings and property when a Category 5 hurricane is barreling towards your city? Is it right to disregard reports about a storm because in past experiences the news has been wrong? In Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, a man named Zeitoun decides to let his family evacuate New Orleans without him so that he can stay behind and protect his several homes, business, and personal belongings from Category 5 hurricane Katrina. Once the hurricane passes, and he survives, the city turns into chaos. TheRead MoreZeitoun Essay example2192 Words   |  9 Pagesfor someone or something to blame, but in reality there was nothing to blame? Well, a natural disaster can be blamed on no one, but in times like that emotions run wild and blame can be put on someone who fits a certain profile. Racism and Hurricane Katrina were two forces that clashed together to create an even big ger problem for the victims. This is caused by an insecurity of the situation at hand. In the book Zeitoun by Dave Eggers, racism and racial profiling is the underlying themes in theRead MoreCrisis Management Essay1103 Words   |  5 PagesSystem Encyclopedia (2008) in the year 2007, there were 2,022 children ages 0-15 and 5,338 teens ages 16-20 who died in fatal car accident. Other crises include disasters. Since 2003 there have been 4 hurricanes (hurricanes Isabel, Ivan, Katrina, and Ophelia) in the United States. Hurricane Katrina displaced over 372,000 school-aged children (Dickenson, 2008). In the September 11 attack, there were 3,051 children who lost a parent (New York Media, 2008). Earthquakes, thunderstorms, and tornadoes