Lived Experience Forum

[Joy139]

Hi @Lauz. I  am finally being honest with myself and listening to my body that's been in a heightened state for years without realising it. I'm writing too and doing a lot of reflection. 

[Rainforest]

Thanks for sharing your insight @CheerBear about how the bushfires can trigger old unrelated traumas.  Trauma is about fearing for your life and it makes sense then that watching the bushfires unfold over the past couple of months would touch on old wounds.  

Mindfulness and awareness are def great ways of managing the distress by bringing yourself back to the present and observing the distressing thoughts, rather than engaging in them.  And, of course, to connecting to people you trust and who are compassionate to your experience is always helpful 

[Daphne]

Absolutel@Shaz51 connection to others and community is key to recovery.

[Shaz51]

yes @greenspace  and with your sister in Darwin where they have lots of summer thinder storms

my step daughter ! lives there too

[Lauz]

As a lot of you have mentioned now, connection is so essential for our mental health. We connect for our own needs but also to help others. Whether its talking through the things we are discussing tonight or just being around someone else or being in a social circumstance that brings you some joy. We thought we could goal set together tonight: How can you connect in the next week to help yourself and your community? Remember whatever you do, you need to feel safe, so you can think of anything that is within your comfort here. 

[Daphne]

Connection is really important @Lauz

for long term recovery and our day to day well-being. If you feel like you want to help with the fire recovery situation but it overwhelms you, try doing something that would be a normal part of your routine anyway. If your crafty, you could sew bat wraps for example or pouches for the surviving animals. You can connect with others that understand you, here on the forum, you could reach out to family and friends or book in an extra session with a counsellor or professional supports.

[greenspace]

@Joy139 Writing and reflecting are great strategies

[Daphne]

Yeah @Joy139 they really are. Writing can help you let go and means you don't have to hold everything in your mind and body. We hold trauma in our bodies so having a ritual like writing can be so helpful.

[greenspace]

@Shaz51 My sister has an emergency kit that she keeps stocked with drinking water, etc, and knows where the local shelters are for when Darwin is on cyclone watch. 

I realised it could help my anxiety if I had an emergency kit, with tinned food, water, important papers, etc. 

[Rainforest]

I've also read that what can be helpful for communities is to come together to rebuild, support each other, share stories and laughs (it's important to find humour where you can) or even to construct memorials as a township to comemorate anniversaries is helping in the healing and recovery process - both individually and as a community.