There are steps folks can take to feel better and acknowledging stress is the first step toward feeling better. Talk about your feelings with family, friends and neighbors. Sharing common experiences helps individuals overcome feelings of anxiety and helplessness. It may be difficult, but try to get back into daily routines as soon as possible. Maintaining good eating and sleeping habits is also important.
Physical exercise helps reduce stress, even if it's only going for a daily walk.
Realize that not everyone reacts to stress in the same way or heals at the same pace. Mental health experts say that disaster-related stress may surface days or even months following the event, and can affect children as well as adults. To help people cope, crisis counselors are often on hand at disaster recovery centers. The American Red Cross, Salvation Army and other voluntary agencies provide crisis counseling services. When you gauge Florida's ability to cope with the forces of nature, you must consider the ever-expanding technology at our fingertips.