By Marcy Stamper
Difficulty sleeping. Inability to concentrate and a sense of powerlessness. Irritability and conflicts with family and friends. Increased alcohol or drug use.
While everyone responds differently to stress and loss, health providers say these feelings have been widespread among Methow Valley residents as they grapple with the loss of three firefighters and two summers of destructive wildfires.
These are normal, common reactions to stress, said Sue Peterson, a licensed mental health counselor associate in Winthrop. The experience of loss is very complex, combining the loss of life, the loss of homes and livelihoods, and the trauma of evacuation and fears about safety, she said.
People who consulted their regular doctors about a physical complaint have also brought up stress. “Surprisingly, we did not see a lot of air-quality complaints, but a lot of anxiety,” said Mike Tuggy, a family practitioner at the Country Clinic in Winthrop. “For people who went through this last year, there is a sense of waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“Everything has a thin overlay of anxiety,” said Joe Jensen, a family physician at Family Health Centers in Twisp.
These reactions can radiate outward. “It’s normal to experience conflicts with family, friends, neighbors or coworkers — we all have an elevated stress level,” said Savannah Miller, a mental health professional with Okanogan Behavioral Healthcare (OBHC).
Another common reaction is hypervigilance — for example, obsessively checking one’s surroundings before bed or reading Facebook nonstop, said Miller.
“People are still in response mode,” said Elana Mainer, executive director of Room One, where OBHC crisis counselors were available during the height of the disaster. “They’re moving though this stage and managing what they have to do. We’re hearing a lot of high stress, anxiety and concern. We feel it, too.”
While some people ricochet between intense emotions, others feel numb. People need to allow themselves to connect with feelings of sadness, hurt and anger, as well as with joy, said Peterson.
Others may be critical of friends or family — they may feel they called too much, or not enough, said Miller. “When we feel out of control or powerless, we want someone to blame,” she said. “It’s hard not to need a target for your emotions.”
Grieving is sometimes clinically described as having phases, but there is no set pattern or typical time frame, and it can take years to work through a loss, said Peterson.
In an emergency, the fight-or-flight response is an instinctive and effective response to danger. But that reaction can linger after the danger has passed, said Miller. People should be alert to physical symptoms, such as being jumpy or having stomach troubles, since stress often registers in the body first, she said.
While many people may believe they have not handled the crisis well, after some reflection, they realize that they evacuated safely and took care of their children and animals, said Miller.
Feeling extra trauma from two years of fire and loss is normal, but many people say they learned from last year and were more prepared, said Peterson. They also know they have the wherewithal to survive it again, she said.
Many people are also sad about the impact on the natural world. “We have a personal connection to the land — there is a lot of grief and loss in relation to the land and animals,” said Miller.
Critical support
All first responders receive specialized training to help them separate their work from their home life, but they’re still vulnerable, said Ben Keyes, executive director of the Green Cross Academy for Traumatology, which provides emotional support during disasters. Psychologists with the Green Cross were called in by the county’s emergency operations center for about three weeks during the height of the fire, said Keyes.
First responders need to take breaks, sleep well and eat right, and they should practice basic relaxation and breathing techniques. Even though their work is exerting, substituting work for exercise is not therapeutic, said Keyes.
The Lookout Coalition, a group of volunteers who provides medical and social services, had a team of counselors every day at Aero Methow Rescue Service to support first responders, said Reba Baudino, a licensed mental health counselor with the coalition.
“The most important thing is to reach out and talk about what’s going on. We tell them, ‘Of course you’re feeling this — it’s because all this happened,’” said Baudino.
Other counselors from a state crisis-management team worked with firefighters, EMTs and line workers who were restoring burned powerlines, said Barb Preston, an advanced EMT at Aero Methow.
Sustenance also came on four legs. Two comfort-dog teams worked with emergency workers and evacuees in Omak, and two other teams helped support families of the fallen firefighters before and after the memorial service in Wenatchee, according to Raquel Lackey, a Seattle-area coordinator for the volunteer HOPE — Animal-Assisted Crisis Response teams.
The dogs have special training that helps them remain calm when there’s panic all around. Petting the dogs helps people become comfortable talking about their distress, said Lackey.
Special issues for kids
Administrators, teachers and counselors in the Methow Valley School District felt it was important to start school on time to establish a sense of normalcy, said Brooke Lucy, the school counselor at Methow Valley Elementary.
Miller worked with children in the school district after last year’s fire. “Kids want a normal routine, but there’s a balance between starting on time and acknowledging that something upsetting happened,” so teachers and counselors are alert to comments or drawings, she said.
When adults are consumed with the practical demands of a disaster, they may have less time to play with children or tend to their needs. Friends or relatives can help provide this support or playtime, said Miller.
Coping with stress
Counselors suggest various techniques for coping with acute stress, many of them brief, simple exercises.
Talking with others who may be experiencing similar emotions will help people feel less isolated. At the same time, if someone is affected by someone else’s anxiety, the person should take a break or focus on objects in the room, said Miller.
Trauma specialist Anthony Twig Wheeler counsels people not to dwell on bad things or to fixate on the news. Even small actions — like doing dishes, raking, or making cupcakes, can help, he said. “It’s OK to watch a silly movie,” said Miller.
“There’s no right way this is supposed to look — whether you go to a movie, read a book, or just lie in bed, people are taking care of themselves,” said Mainer.
