Texas psychiatrist reveals mental health challenges facing flood disaster survivors

As the rescue teams and volunteers work to clean up after the tragic flood that violently devastated the Texas center during the weekend of July 4, others seek to help the survivors and loved ones of the victims to recover -mentally. Dallas -based pediatric psychiatrist, Dr. Sabrina Browne, spoke with Fox News Digital about what survivors could face and close to victims.

“Tragedies like this, in a very literal sense, approached home, not? It’s something when you see things play on television, but when it happens in your community, it really affects your life at all levels,” Browne told Fox News Digital. “The reality of these families is that once the camera crews have disappeared, and once the help organizations are sent, they will still be living with the repercussions of this.”

There are several possible reactions that people can have in the wake of a tragedy, such as the recent flood. According to Browne, one of the most common reactions is the loss of “feeling of security” and a “feeling of stability”.

“You take for assumption you will wake up in the morning, you will go to the house, you will return home to your house, right? And all these things. And so they lose that feeling of stability,” said Browne.

Texas flood survivors seek God in front of tragedy

He added that, along with this loss of stability, some may experience anxiety, concern or even afraid that another disaster will be around the corner. The mental health professional also mentioned that flood survivors could experience a post -traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and even the survivor’s guilt.

Browne has a unique experience in helping Texas families through tragedy, after leaning families in the wake of the Uvalde of 2022 school shooting, in which 19 children and two teachers died at Robb Elementary School.

Like the case of the Uvalde, many of the victims of the floods in Texas were children. Browne talked about differences in adult treatment against children, emphasizing that “children are not just small adults”.

“When we talk about children, it is a wide range of ages and development levels,” said Browne. “A child who is 12 years old will have a different experience from a child who is seven years old, not? Because they are more mature, they can understand things.”

Beyond his ability to understand what has happened, this could be a child for the first time with disaster and death.

“Often children are [death] In the settings of losing a grandfather or someone where he feels away from them. But when they see their classmates, other children in the camp, when school begins, school begins and see that their friends may not be there, this brings it to a very real level, so now they have to wrap their heads, what does this mean? And they are also struggling, is it what could happen to me? And that can add another layer. “

Faith brings light to the devastated city of Texas after the fatal flood disaster

Texas professionals like Browne are not alone in their work to help victims floods, Spring Health, a company focused on providing mental health solutions, recently engaged $ 500,000 in free flood services in Texas, North Carolina and New Mexico.

“Recovering -a disaster is not just a matter of reconstructing what was lost. It’s also about taking care of the emotional toll that follows. We want people to know that they are not alone,” said Fox News Digital, the CEO of Spring Health. “This program is here to ensure that those affected have a way to access high quality and confidential mental health support at no cost.”

As part of his commitment to the provision of care, Spring Health does virtual sessions with licensed clinics available for those who cannot access physical aid in person.

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When it comes to knowing if your child needs professional help, Browne told Fox News Digital that this is to notice changes in day -to -day behavior. He said that there are reactions that parents can expect to see, such as their son regressing and maybe wanting to sleep in their room to feel safe.

“If we notice that, you know, they do not sleep, they do not want to eat, they do not want to play, not these great turns, this is a sign we need to see that someone has more support,” said Browne.