Category: mental health

This is Your Brain on Emergencies

There’s a fire in your building. Your plane is about to crash. A woman beside you on the street suddenly collapses. What do you do? Well, that depends. Every one of us is at risk for these kinds of unexpected intrusions into our day-to-day lives. What you do about it depends on whether or not Read More >

Posted on by Jerzell Black, Operation Coordinator, CDC Office of Safety, Security, and Asset Management8 CommentsTags , ,

After Matthew: The Hidden Dangers of Hurricanes

Fallen trees and damaged electrical power lines blocking a road; hazards after a natural disaster wind storm

The thrashing winds have died down. Relentless rain has ceased. The clouds have cleared and the sun is shining. But this is no time to let your guard down. Last week, Hurricane Matthew pounded its way through the Caribbean before bearing down on the eastern U.S. coastline from Florida to North Carolina. Many lives and Read More >

Posted on by Blog Administrator1 CommentTags , , , , , ,

Mental Health and Recovery

Hospital Damage in Joplin

  By: Dennis Cooley, MD, FAAP Joplin, Missouri was devastated by an F5 tornado in 2011. Heart to Heart International set up a clinic in a Walgreens parking lot near the hardest hit area to care for injured volunteers.  The clinic provided medical care on a walk-in basis. Dr. Dennis Cooley worked in the clinic Read More >

Posted on by Blog Administrator1 CommentTags , , , ,

Coping with Disasters

Storm Damage - tree down in the road

Whether you live in tornado alley or in a hurricane-prone coastal region, it’s important to include emotional wellness activities in your diaster plan. Severe weather and evacuations can cause emotional distress such as anxiety, worry, and fear in both adults and children. Although no one can plan for a disaster, you can practice healthy coping Read More >

Posted on by Blog AdministratorLeave a commentTags ,

The Early Years of Life Set the Stage for Life-long Mental Health

Children standing with backpacks on

We know that mental health is essential to overall health and well-being (WHO, 2001). However, as you read this, about 1 in 5 youth in the United States currently experience a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder.  About half of all children have experienced a mental health problem (Institute of Medicine (IOM), 2009). Read More >

Posted on by Blog Administrator10 CommentsTags , , , , ,

Disaster Recovery – An Emotional Response

woman and man looking out over flooded houses and road

The effects of a disaster are not always physical. Houses and roads can be rebuilt and physical wounds will heal, but the emotional scars from a disaster can often be harder to fix. In 2008 Cedar Rapids, Iowa experienced extreme flooding that wiped out businesses and homes, disrupting daily life and displacing residents. While other Read More >

Posted on by Blog Administrator5 CommentsTags , , , , ,