Are you managing to be OK with all these dreadful fires.

[White_Rose]

Hello everyone. I was watching the news this morning on the ABC. It was a special program on the bush fires. It made me cry because of all the damage to people's homes and lives. Also the dreadful new that several firefighters have died.

How is everyone coping? I know some of you live near fire affected areas and must be worrying a lot. Restricted power available and no way to contact family and friends must be quite difficult to bear. Being out of contact with our loved ones is so very hard. Film footage on TV shows how desperate it's getting. People are trapped because it is unsafe to leave their properties, but they cannot contact their families.

Is there any particular way you have to help you cope with this? Perhaps we can share tips on how to remain calm amidst all this mayhem. For me prayer is the way to go. I am not near any fires though a few weeks ago we had lots of smoke blowing into our homes.

Share you tips and help each other to manage.

Mary

[White_Rose]

Hello Everyone

Thank you for your comments. It is obvious we are all distressed both for the fire situation and for those people who have lost homes and business, plus the loss of life which last time I heard an update was 18. It is truly horrific.

I think RT that your idea is great. If we can do some good then lets concentrate on that.

Tim, yes we can become desensitized to tragedies and that is a huge tragedy in itself. How many people are in tears constantly over the fires. It's awful. We can put to work the skills we have learned from writing on the forum I believe. This may help us as well as anyone else we speak to.

The references RT has put up can be a great help. I do urge anyone who needs some help to read these and see how they can stay in as positive a place as possible. Not easy I know. We can also spend time with our families. I know being with my grandchildren is helpful. They have an innocence that becomes a blessing to us. Paying attention to what is in front of us may be the way to stop brooding over the events of the past weeks. It doesn't make us uncaring or selfish. We too need to keep ourselves together and when we can help, find the energy to do so.

Tim, it is a bit of a worry. When the emergency is over everyone breathes a sigh of relief and goes back to what was happening before. I cannot blame anyone because we do not need to be constantly reminded. But maybe this time we can put pressure on our politicians to be more proactive. I see the Army Reserve is being called out, the first time in Australian history since we had reservists. It sounds great if these reserves can get to the areas where they are needed.

One of the major problems as I understand it, is the firefighters etc cannot get into some places even though there are people needing help.

I don't usually put my spiritual feelings on posts but today is an exception. May God help us all to come out of this and become healed from the hurts we have received.

Mary

[smallwolf]

Hi Mary,

Julie Bishop was talking about the bushfire on the Today show and there was a suggestion of a royal commission. You would need to watch the interview but there were comments about recommendations from previous commissions not being followed through. You are right in putting pressure onto the politicians into being proactive, though I remain skeptical.

Tim

[Hanna3]

Hi White Rose and everyone else,

I find I have to turn off the TV and get away from it all sometimes simply for mental health. I hate to see all the suffering, not just the people but the stock and wildlife suffering so horribly and the loss of habit and beautiful places. I feel a lot of frustration when I hear the experts and fire fighting personnel say they were asking for help from the government as far back as April, knowing they were heading into a bad season. And I feel helpless as I can't find a way of being useful in all this.

We are in the most appalling drought here with everything around us dying, we've had months of dust storms and smoke, so people here were already depressed. The fires in so many other areas on top of it all make it all seem worse.

I am frustrated with our government. I am sorry for my country. But I remain hopeful that we will all learn something from this and come out of it more aware, more conscious of caring for our environment and our planet.

Meanwhile I try to switch off and watch something on TV or read a good book. Last night I went onto YouTube and watched some old Monty Python sketches - I love the one about the Latin graffiti! Finding something silly to make you laugh really helps. Best wishes to everyone.

[Elizabeth CP]

I am struggling. I have PTSD due to being caught in a bushfire as a child but this has escalated due to the recent events. I feel guilty & stupid for not helping & not being directly impacted yet feeling so anxious and upset. Little things will trigger intense emotions. The suggestions of preparing by having a plan & storing important documents etc are excellent but I struggle to focus on things related to fire including practical preparation sends my mind into a downward spiral. I wish I could help or at least say something uplifting

[OverwhelmedMarlon]

Hi Mary, I cried the other day as well and had to put my phone away. It all feels a bit much at the moment. Thoughts to everyone doing it tough right now 😞 x

[Summer Rose]

Hi Mary and others

I'm just picking up on something Elizabeth said, I feel guilty & stupid for not helping & not being directly impacted yet feeling so anxious and upset. I feel the same.

I don't have a mental health condition (I care for a child who does) and, despite being in normally good mental health, I am now struggling--and I am not directly impacted by the fires in any way. The crisis is so overwhelming, the devastation so vast, that I feel anyone with a heartbeat and a pulse is feeling grief, shock and sadness.

I actually believe that we are in the midst of collective mental health crisis, with each of us facing our own battles to different extents and for different reasons. Some of us will bounce back quickly, others are in for the long haul. It's heartbreaking to imagine the pain but so heartwarming to know that there is a place like our forum to help each other through it without judgement.

Today, I am grateful for the forum and all of you.

Kind thoughts to all

[White_Rose]

Hello Tim

Thanks for your comments. I did briefly hear the suggestion of a royal commission but wonder if it will get off the ground, how thorough it will be and especially if any recommendations are implemented. Once the bush grows back and everything looks OK I feel much of the trauma is forgotten by politicians etc and they can get on with their lives.

I also heard a suggestion that the number of psychologists visits should be increased from the current ten in order for firefighters to get help. They have been there since the start even though they get breaks. They should be provided with unlimited help and perhaps no fees. May be a bit radical. This does not only apply to firefighters. All those people who have lost homes and livelihoods, not to mention loved ones who have died as a result of the fire. They also need help to get back on their feet emotionally.

Mary

[White_Rose]

Hello Hanna

It is indeed difficult to watch these distressing scenes. The death of so many animals both domestic and wild is heartbreaking. Finding an alternative program to watch is good idea. I have watching reruns of old programs I enjoyed a while ago and find that gives me some relief. The problem I find is the most innocuous program can remind me of the fires in some way. The old triggers come back.

Sometimes I feel I am being hyper-vigilant which wastes my energy and barges in on my mental health. Just when I think all is going OK this event comes out of left field and smacks me in the face. Definitely not good for us. I wonder if you can gather some friends together and talk about how you feel. It may be you can decide on a course of action together which will help you cope with these distressing emotions. A group of you meeting every couple of weeks can provide great support to each other especially on those days when you feel the world has gone crazy. Giving someone ring and having a chat is good.

Mary

[White_Rose]

Hello Elizabeth

So sorry to learn you had that experience as a child. Every piece of news etc must really stir pot. If I remember correctly you see a psychologist or similar. Are you still doing this. It would be helpful I imagine if you can talk about these fears and memories. Not that any of it is happy until you remember you survived and I hope all family as well.

Feeling guilty & stupid for not helping & not being directly impacted is probably a common reaction, but please focus on yourself and what makes you happy or at least not unhappy. If you had been impacted it would add another casualty to the toll but would not change the plight of those who have already been impacted. I understand the feeling of helplessness and expect the majority of people feel the same. We are all hurting in some way. Our task is keep ourselves well as much as possible and to allow those people out there at the various scenes to focus on the needs of those who have been impacted.

I think we need to look for the good things but I also know how difficult this can be. When we are overwhelmed by grief and sadness it can be difficult to find something pleasant to remember. Alternatively we can find activities that help to settle us. I know I go for my embroidery but I do need sound in the backgrounds. I used to listen to books on CD and find very helpful. Surprisingly I cannot read books at that sort of time. It requires too much concentration. So I have the satisfaction of producing something good and keeping busy that part of my brain that can get into a tizz. Must remember to get more CD books from the library.

Mary

[White_Rose]

Hello OverwhelmedMarlon

Tears are a good safety valve so cry when you need. I know I have cried a lot but it's OK. I do switch off TV and radio at times because it's too much and as I suggested above, keeping busy by doing those activities we enjoy can help to keep us calm and bring some order into our lives. I often suggest weeding the garden though it's a bit hot at the moment. Pulling up weeds can be quite cathartic as you make them represent anything you wish.

Thanks for your comments.

Mary