Flourish Health & Wellbeing Magazine - Dec23 - Flipbook - Page 83
The bushfire season is upon
us, and repeated reporting
in the media and warnings
about how best to prepare
your property and family in
an emergency situation can
affect people psychologically.
These repeated risk messages and frightening images may leave
people feeling anxious, helpless or confused.
Knowing ahead of 琀椀me how a disaster situa琀椀on might be experienced
can help to decrease people’s anxiety levels and overall psychological
responses. Being psychologically prepared when a disaster is threatening
can help people feel more con昀椀dent, more in control and be琀琀er able
to make e昀昀ec琀椀ve emergency plans. It can also help to reduce the
psychological distress and longer-term mental health problems that
can result from the trauma of being involved in disasters.
Your local Council and emergency services have
pamphlets and brochures to help you get physically
prepared to protect lives, homes and property in an
emergency situation. A well practiced household
emergency plan will provide a greater sense of being
in control in an emergency situation.