| After Disaster: What Teens Can Do
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| | the event did not happen, in the long run
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| 04th April 2007
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| | it is best to be honest about your
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| Author: Arthur Buchanan
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| | feelings and to allow yourself to
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| Note: Information based on brochure
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| | acknowledge the sense of loss and
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| developed by Project Heartland -- A
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| | uncertainty.
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| Project of the Oklahoma Department of
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| | • It is important to realize that,
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| Mental Health and Substance Abuse
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| | while things may seem off balance for a
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| Services in response to the 1995 bombing
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| | while, your life will return to normal.
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| of the Murrah Federal Building in
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| | • It is important to talk with someone
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| Oklahoma City. Project Heartland was
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| | about your sorrow, anger, and other
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| developed with funds from the Federal
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| | emotions, even though it may be difficult
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| Emergency Management Agency in
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| | to get started.
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| consultation with the
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| | • You may feel most comfortable talking
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| Federal Center for Mental Health
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| | about your feelings with a teacher,
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| Services.
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| | counselor, or church leader. The
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| • Whether or not you were directly
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| | important thing is that you have someone
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| affected by a disaster or violent event,
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| | you trust to confide in about your
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| it is normal to feel anxious about your
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| | thoughts and feelings.
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| own safety, to picture the event in your
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| | • It is common to want to strike back
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| own mind, and to wonder how you would
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| | at people who have caused great pain.
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| react in an emergency.
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| | This desire comes from our outrage for
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| • People react in different ways to
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| | the innocent victims. We must understand,
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| trauma. Some become irritable or
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| | though, that it is futile to respond with
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| depressed, others lose sleep or have
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| | more violence. Nothing good is
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| nightmares, others deny their feelings or
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| | accomplished by hateful language or
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| simply "blank out" the troubling event.
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| | actions.
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| • While it may feel better to pretend
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