The High Park Fire: Do You Feel Helpless?

Shock and denial are typical, expected and part of the process.

Shock  can lead to high levels of anxiety, guilt and depression. In times of natural disaster whole populations, you and your neighbor, the kid down the street and the boy bagging your groceries. ..you're mother, brother and baby sister can all be affected. Some will know exactly what is happening to themselves and others will fight it and say thing's like it a fire, it doesn't affect me and so on. Deep down inside we will all be affected by something so catastrophic.

Talking about the High Park Fire will help each of us deal with the magnitude of the situation. I know for me it has been very surreal, I first told you about the fire in the first hours, when it was 40-50 acres. There were reports coming into me that there was an out of control fire on  Buckhorn Road and that there was a controlled burn and maybe something else . It was all so overwhelming. Now, in the last press release I received total, at 9:40pm, the fire was at 20 plus thousand acres. How this can happen so fast with zero containment is unreal. It's okay to feel overwhelmed.

recognizing signs of trauma:

• Feeling's can become unpredictable; depression, irritability and mood swings
• Rapid heartbeat or sweating
• Difficulty making decisions
• Sleeping or Eating issues
• Fear
• An increase in conflict in personal relationships
• Headache, Nausea and Chest Pain

You may seem okay at first and think that you are untouched... keep an eye on yourself and your potential symptoms. Talk to  your friends and co-workers and neighbors, don't hold your fear or confusions inside. Together as a community we will be strong.

Click here to learn more about the High Park Fire.