Coping Suggestions
by Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
- Give yourself permission and TIME to grieve.
- Focus on your strengths and coping skills.
- Ask for support and help from your family, friends, church or other community resources. Join or develop support groups.
- Redefine your priorities and focus your energy and resources on those priorities.
- Set small realistic goals to help tackle obstacles. For example, reestablish daily routines for yourself and your family.
- Clarify feelings and assumptions about your partner. Remember that men and women react differently. Women tend to be caretakers and put others first. Men have difficulty acknowledging and expressing feelings of helplessness and sadness and believe in "toughing it out."
- Eat healthy meals and exercise.
- Get enough rest to increase your reserve strength.
- Acknowledge unresolved issues and use the hurt and pain as a motivator to make the necessary changes to heal.
- Continue to educate yourself and family about normal reactions to a disaster.
- Talk to your children. Be supportive. Set an example by expressing your feelings and showing problem solving skills in dealing with family problems.
- Remember that you are not alone.
Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health
1-800 854 7771
Provided by Trauma Information Pages
Eugene, Oregon USA * http://www.trauma-pages.com