Mental Health Issues Emerging for Survivors of the March 2 Tornadoes

Henryville, IN
Thousands of workers and volunteers are rebuilding southern Indiana towns devastated by the March 2nd tornadoes. But, a new problem is emerging, one that can’t be fixed with a hammer and nails.
Tornado victims are working through the process of grieving what’s been lost. Project Aftermath crisis counselor Carolyn King says, “I think some of them are getting to the angry stage. They’re frustrated that this is taking so long, they don’t see things being rebuilt as fast, they’re realizing that things aren’t going to be normal again.”

King says the long term effects of this storm are just now emerging and some people are doing more than grieving, they’re suffering from post traumatic stress. “If people just keep talking about it over and over, some of that is therapeutic,” she says, “But, if they’re obsessed with it and they really can’t talk about anything else, then that’s a problem.”