Stripped

Got up this morning feeling pretty anxious, which shouldn’t come as no surprise considering my family history. I’ve always been considered being made of that same sturdy stock. But once the crisis is over as with most, that’s when the nerves kick in.  So it isn’t surprising that after Hurricane Helene I would begin to feel the stress and  anxiety I suppressed during those dark hours. Today is now two weeks since the storm hit, most anyone in the area has there power back on. Most of the racking and tree cutting has been done in peoples yards. With all their debris piled neatly next to the street. Even now a crew of tree and debris movers is working outside removing the piles of limbs. 

But still at night the haunts come back, in the form of vivid stressful dreams. Were I’m running or driving or riding a horse from an unseen enemy. Along with the stressful dreams is the uncontrollable digestive issues that plague throughout the night. Usually occurring during my deepest REM sleep. These are situations I usually meet head-on and eventually they’ll die out after a few days. But lately they seem to be hanging on tight causing me discomfort and fatigue both mentally and physically. As I stated in my last post I’ve been pulling out my bag of tricks to overcome my symptoms meditation, breathing, journalling. And while it works to an extent the symptoms keep coming back.
 
Over analyzing as I always do. I can only guess it’s the steady reminders of the storm that have set me back. Like the multitude of fallen trees, the debris, and lifeless in my backyard after being stripped of all its leaves. While crews have started the enormous tasks of clearing up, my mind still has plenty of cleaning up to do on its own. I suppose I should end this on an optimistic note. But my friends and followers in Florida and the Carolinas may think differently. But it’s a gorgeous shiny day outside, the tree removal crew has picked up the remaining pecan limbs from the yard. So while the physical scares are hauled away, let’s be mindful of the inward scars that need to heal. Of the lives forever changed by the wind and rains of life. 

Here are a few organizations that offer support groups or resources for individuals dealing with trauma:

• The Jed Foundation: Provides support for mental health, including trauma-related issues. https://jedfoundation.org/
• The Trevor Project: Offers crisis intervention and suicide prevention services, including support for LGBTQ+ youth who may have experienced trauma. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Provides support groups and other resources for individuals with mental health conditions, including those who have experienced trauma. https://www.nami.org/

The American Psychological Association (APA): Offers a directory of psychologists who specialize in trauma-related issues. https://www.apa.org/