In Tampa Bay, likely back-to-back hurricanes take a toll on mental health

Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, help is available. You can call or text 988 to be connected to the suicide & crisis helpline. Additional resources are listed at the bottom of this story.

Tammi Kopec made it 12 days before she finally cried.

Her home on St. Pete Beach flooded with nearly 4 feet of storm surge from Hurricane Helene. On Sunday, when her two sons heard that Hurricane Milton could hit Tampa Bay as a major hurricane, they drove a UHaul from Orlando to help pack their mom’s waterlogged home.

The moment came abruptly for Kopec. Her sons sifted through a box that had fallen into the pool of dirty floodwater, bearing childhood belongings: Their hospital wristbands from the day they were born; an “It’s a boy!” sign; the obituary for their late grandmother — all damaged.

Helene’s surge had long since receded, but now the tears flooded in. They lasted for hours.

“I broke when someone finally came to my rescue and I didn’t have to be in full control,” Kopec said. “I looked around knowing what we all lost.”

Kopec prides herself on being positive, even in times of crisis. But she’s one of thousands across Tampa Bay experiencing the collective trauma of a one-two punch from major hurricanes Helene, just days ago, and Milton, racing closer. Over the span of less than two weeks, residents here went from witnessing the worst storm in a century to being told to prepare for another whose toll could exceed it.

That, undoubtedly, can take a toll on mental health and well-being. It’s not uncommon to feel numbness after a hurricane, followed by rising and falling emotions, according to Robin Gurwitch, a psychologist and professor at Duke University Medical Center.

Gurwitch helps train responders — whether emergency rescuers, law enforcement teachers or parents — on how to best help disaster survivors. In 2005, she was in New Orleans training mental health responders in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, and has assisted after several Florida hurricanes.

As Milton barrels toward Tampa Bay, the first priority is physical safety, Gurwitch said. But once shelter is handled, she advised that Floridians should reorient their attention to emotional safety. Who am I connected to? Who do I need to make sure has my phone number? Who can I reach out to?

We asked Gurwitch to offer five things Tampa Bay residents can do, right now, to protect their mental health:

• Focus on the now. Reorient your focus to the current moment. Thinking of small things you can do right now, today and tomorrow — like finding food or dry clothes or connecting with family — helps move your thoughts away from longer-term difficulties like potential home repairs.
• Bring routine back into your life. Even when your life is turned upside down, routines like meals and adhering to bedtimes can help return a sense of safety and security, especially with children.
• Take a break. Go easy on yourself. Watch a silly video, talk with a friend, play with a pet.
• Help somebody else. Can you offer to help a neighbor clean up their home? Can you share supplies like water bottles to somebody in need? By helping others, you may be able to find peace.
• Take in your information from trusted sources. Rumors can be scarier than the truth. What you know now might change. Make sure the information you get is coming from a credible place.

“Give yourself some grace. This is not typical,” Gurwitch said. “Everybody is doing the very best they can in a situation that is incredibly stressful, difficult and challenging and will be for the foreseeable future.”

How storms can change us

The science is becoming more clear that natural disasters, intensifying with climate change, can increase a child’s risk of having anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.

One 2022 study, for instance, found that children experiencing a natural disaster while in the womb could be more likely to develop mental health issues. Of the 163 preschool children studied who went through Hurricane Sandy in the womb, the risk of developing attention-deficit or behavioral disorders proved three times higher. The risk was five times higher for children would develop anxiety disorders, and 16 times higher of developing depressive disorders.

We often hear casual references to post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. But after natural disasters like hurricanes, only a few will actually be clinically diagnosed, according to Gurwitch.

She said to think of PTSD like a triangle. At its wide base are the majority of people in Tampa Bay who will be affected in some way by both Helene and Milton, whether they evacuate or see damage. It’s unlikely that most of these people will actually experience PTSD.

Then there’s the middle group, or people who are at higher emotional and mental risk or are having difficulty managing their reactions. With the proper outreach and resources, these people can eventually move into the majority of people who avoid post-traumatic stress.

Then there is the small minority at the tip. These are people most susceptible to PTSD or who already struggle with mental health. For example, people who are in recovery from substance abuse or children in the child welfare system can be vulnerable to natural disasters.

In the wake of Hurricane Ian’s landfall in Southwest Florida in 2022, at least six people died by suicide. All were older adults, and at least two lived with preexisting mental illnesses. Half were without insurance and feared becoming homeless.

“That’s why it becomes so important that you’re reaching out,” Hurwitch said. “And please make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

Elizabeth Bechard, who leads work on climate change and mental health for the nonprofit Moms Clean Air Force, said when parents are struggling with anxiety and depression after natural disasters like hurricanes, it can be harder for them to be warm and responsive caregivers.

Bechard said she sympathizes with Tampa Bay. In 2018, Hurricane Florence ravaged her mother’s hometown in Wilmington, North Carolina. To watch the aftermath of Hurricane Helene unfolding in places like western North Carolina, and in our own backyard, can come with a sense of helplessness.

Keeping connected with loved ones and, if you have children, reminding them that you are doing everything possible to keep them safe are good practices, she said.

“And have compassion for yourselves,” she said.

Some resources to help

Hurwitch and Bechard suggest some of the following resources for those struggling with their mental health amid Helene aftermath and Milton’s pending arrival.

• Disaster Distress Hotline (1-800-985-5990) - offers 24/7 support to help people cope with disaster distress, including referrals. Also available in Spanish.
• iChill app from the Trauma Resource Institute – free; guides you through tools that can help you reset when feeling activated
• Insight Timer app has meditations for kids
• Climate Psychology Alliance of North America – directory of climate-aware therapists

For hurricane prep

• – recommendations for an emergency supply kit and evacuation considerations
• – ideas for talking to children and involving them in family disaster preparedness
• Help Kids Cope – mobile app with scripts and ideas to support children before, during, and after natural disasters

Hurricane Response Resources

• Parent Guidelines for Helping Children after a Hurricane (En Español)
• Age-Related Reactions to a Traumatic Event (En Español: ASL)
• Simple Activities for Children and Adolescents (En Español)
• Trinka and Sam: The Rainy Windy Day—e-book for young children (En Español)
• Talking to Children: When Scary Things Happen (En Español)
• Once I Was Very Very Scared (En Español)—e-book for young children
• After the Injury—website for families with injured children
• Health Care Toolbox—website for pediatric health providers working with injured children
• Pause-Reset-Nourish (PRN) to Promote Wellbeing (En Español)—for responders

Need help? If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or in a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or chat with someone online at 988lifeline.org. You can also dial 211 to reach area nonprofits for information about and referrals to human service organizations.