Appendix - Psychological Support
Personal experiences/observations:
Standing around with no news and nothing to do
enforces the sense of isolation and helplessness
created by the collapse of infrastructure.
- Encourage people to keep busy - suggest useful tasks
- Encourage people to work together -
Prepare a list of ways for neighbors to help each other.
A resident can then use this list to approach others and say
"They suggest we do X. Do you think it is a good idea?"
- people are rattled, and the obvious isn't
- people are reluctant to make suggestions to neighbors
who are nodding acquaintances
for fear of being perceived as bossy or domineering
- Find suitable tasks for children, even if it is make-work.
Children appear to be especially vulnerable.
Suggestion:
Team with neighbors, friends, others
- Larger crew makes work goes faster
- Extra people to give a hand when something unexpected happens
- Easier to "keep a stiff upper lip" when others present
- very easy to get depressed over damage and loss
- keep moving forward
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