In the wake of a disaster, it is helpful to know who statistically is most prone to psychological distress. Research shows that people closer to the ground zero — whether they be they bystanders, first responders, members of the media, or people who have been victims of the crisis — they are often at greater risk for stress reactions than those who were farther away.
At risk groups include children and teens, women, people who are socially isolated, those with financial hardships and those whose language and cultural differences hinder clear communication during and about an event. People who are chronically ill, cognitively impaired or have histories of extreme trauma, substance abuse or severe mental illness also are more vulnerable than others.
“Adolescents need to appear competent to the world around them, especially to their family and friends. Individuals in this age group are struggling to achieve independence from the family and are torn between the desire for increasing responsibility and the ambivalent wish to remain a kid. Frequently, struggles occur with the family because the peer groups seems to become more important than the parental world to the teens. In the normal course of events, this struggle between adolescents and family plays itself out between the child and her or his parents, they resolve problems.
The effects of a major disaster on adolescents will vary depending on the extent to which it disrupts the functioning of the family and community. The impact of the disaster will stimulate fears related to loss of family, peer relationships, school life, and even concern over the intactness of their own bodies. Adolescents struggling to achieve their own identity and independence from the family may be set back in this personal quest with reactivated fears and anxieties from earlier stages of development. The trouble signs to watch out for are:
- withdrawal and isolation
- physical complaints
- depression and sadness
- antisocial behavior (stealing, aggressive behavior, acting out)
- school problems (disruptive behavior or acting out)
- decline in academic performance
- sleep disturbance (including sleep terrors)
- confusion
- risk taking behaviors
- alcohol and other drug use
- avoidance of developmentally appropriate separation (going to camp or college)
Most of the above behaviors are transitory and disappear within a short period. When these behaviors persist, they are readily apparent to family and teachers who should respond quickly. Teenagers who appear to be withdrawn and isolate themselves from family and friends are experiencing emotional difficulties. They may be concealing fears they are afraid to express. Just as many adults do, adolescents often show their emotional distress through physical complaints.”
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Compare the teen trouble signs to the Crisis responses in adults That Typically Merit a Referral or Psychotherapy:
- Significant memory disturbance
- Inability to perform everyday functions
- Inability to care for personal needs
- Inability to make simple decisions
- Preoccupation with a single thought
- Repetitive or ritualistic acts
- Drug or Alcohol Abuse
- Pressured Speech
- Suicidal or Homicidal Gestures
- Psychotic Symptoms
- Flat Affect
- Serious Social Withdrawal
- Inappropriate anger or abuse toward others
- Dissociation (feeling like you’re watching your life like it’s on TV instead of really happening) like your life isn’t real.
- Inappropriate reaction to triggering events
One of the things they listed in the flyer for tonight was finding ways to help foster resilience. In order to help foster resilience, it is important for you as family members to talk openly to your children about emotions. The more you talk about emotions (Anger, frustration, powerlessness, shame, disappointment, hurt, etc.), the more your children will learn how to. We live in a time when people have devoted themselves to being intellectual. As a result of this dedication, it is common knowledge that people today struggle with what we call a mind-body split. That has left our community with relatively low Emotional IQ’s and with a profound spiritual deficit. By emotional IQ, I mean people’s ability to identify emotions when they feel them, to talk about the emotions, and to process them effectively.
In some cases, people suffer from more than from just low Emotional IQ. They have with Leigh McCullough calls Affect Phobia. Simply put, it is a fear or avoidance of feeling painful emotions. Healing requires us to be able to talk about emotions. As parents, I support you to model how to talk about emotions so that your children can see how to do it. Low Emotional IQ’s can be improved by simply practicing talking about emotions, identifying them, and expanding emotional vocabulary. Affect phobia can be overcome as people learn to talk about emotions with people who are accepting, supportive, and encouraging. In situations where symptoms are significant enough to disrupt functioning, seeking therapeutic help will speed the process of overcoming affect phobia and other hindrances to psychological healing.
Regardless of whether you have been in a crisis or you are just living your lives, it is important for you as parents to spend time with your children, loving them, joking with them, socializing with them without ever talking about homework or the inevitable messy room. Parents can find themselves in the bind where the only thing they do is talk to their children about responsibilities or problems. This closes the doors of communication because children will feel like they are in trouble or having to defend themselves when they talk to you. When you play and joke with them, they will be more receptive to what you have to say overall. Aside from the fact that it is fun to play with your kids, it also builds a solid healthy foundation in your children’s psyches letting them know they are worth it. The more positive experiences a person has, the more proof they have that they are good, strong, worthwhile, and able to overcome crisis.
Use mindfulness activities when you can in your daily living, ideally five times per day. Mindfulness activities can be meditation, mindful eating, and prayer. Sing, do art, write stories, play word games at meals, and make a habit of listening to your children and letting them know you want to hear what they have to say. Some of this is about playing with your children and giving them positive memories and some is about building healthy habits. When people use mindfulness strategies five times per day, their overall anxiety levels are lower. Lower anxiety levels means more resilience and responsiveness in stressful situations.
The capacity of Resilience is based on people’s ability to believe they are lovable or worthwhile, to have faith in the future, and to trust in their abilities. Overcoming disasters, or crisis of any nature, involves people’s ability to talk openly about what they endured emotionally, physically, and intellectually in an open way.
Spiritual support is profoundly healing. Be cautious to stay away from things that are dogmatic in nature. If spiritual concepts aren’t being comprehended as they are intended, children will simply feel lectured, misunderstood, and forced to adhere to a doctrine. That actually discourages healthy spirituality. Take extra time to help your children by talking openly to them about spiritual concepts in order to help them understand how those lessons are soulful. And don’t be shy, sometimes the best way to help your children understand spiritual concepts is to use completely unrelated metaphors (like Star Wars and the Force).
Judgement about feelings will discourage openness.
Be mindful to listen and be curious.
One of the best predictors of children's positive adjustment following a disaster or crisis situation is how well their parents are doing. Since this is true, remember to model what you want your children to do. If you have any of the symptoms I described earlier, seek help. When a crisis evokes emotional overwhelm, or the sensation that you can’t handle what is happening, getting treatment now may mean going to one or two sessions. Going in a year may mean going for a year.
Presentation given for Cardinal Newman High School on 11/15/17 by Synde Acks, Psy.D, License Psy27309
Topic: Adolescence and Crisis
Bibliography:
Erikson, E.H., Childhood and Society, 1963
McCullough et al, Treating Affect Phobia: A Manual for Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy, 2003
Bly, Robert, The Sibling Society, 1996
Biger, D. & Harowski, K. Essentials of Crisis Counseling and Intervention, 2003
Mahdi, Louise et al. Betwixt & Between: Patterns of Masculine and Feminine Initiation, 1987
Journal of the American Academy of Children and Adolescent Psychiatry (Vol. 43, No. 10)
Monitor on Psychology, July/August 2014, Vol 45, No.7, “What every psychologist should know about Disasters”, Tori DeAngelis
Monitor on Psychology, September 2011 “Helping Kids Cope in an Uncertain World” (Vol 42, No. 8)
Monitor on Psychology, January 2008, “PTSD Treatments Grow in evidence, effectiveness” (Vol. 39 No. 1)
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