Residents look at floodwaters from the balcony of their home in West Ipswich, Australia's Queensland state on February 26, 2022. Photo: Patrick HAMILTON / AFP
Dr Grant Blashki, a general practitioner and lead clinical advisor at mental health support service Beyond Blue, echoed this prediction. He explained to VICE World News that while many people’s initial reaction to a disaster like these floods is to “switch off the grief and the loss” as a defence mechanism, there will likely be some who develop the symptoms of PTSD.“As the floods recede and individuals are actually left with the aftermath of it—the loss of property, or terrible situations where people have lost loved ones, or the financial devastation for a lot of these businesses—that's when it can really hit home for people.”
The issue of natural disasters and their psychological aftershocks only looks set to grow, too. The same day that Lismore and surrounds were first devastated by flash floods on Feb. 28, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report that not only forecasted an increased likelihood of extreme weather events like floods and fires, but also noted that repeated exposure to such events is associated with decreased mental wellbeing. As the Climate Council points out, “These mental health impacts include loss of sense of identity and place, heightened anxiety, risk of depression and suicide along with post-traumatic stress disorder and other adverse outcomes.”“As the days go on, there's no one here, and we're sort of just left with this empty shell of the house… It just started in the last few days. My partner and I have been super depressed and we have a little cry every day.”
A girl looks at rising floodwaters of the Bremer river in West Ipswich, Australia's Queensland state on February 26, 2022. Photo: Patrick HAMILTON / AFP
