Tropical depression: Hurricane linked to long-term mental distress
Florida State University sociologists in Tallahassee, Fla. have found that some South Floridians who survived 1992′s Hurricane Andrew suffered mental health problems many years later, a finding that has led the researchers to predict even more dire …
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As a survivor of Hurricane Andrew and of the hurricanes since, including Katrina, and Wilma,
I can share that the emotional impact of these storms continues to this day. What few hear about is the
injury that the lack of government support, and media inaccuracy in reporting inflicts upon the victims of any
disaster. There were many issues after Andrew, one is that it wasn’t the large storm it was, and that the
death toll was small. It took them 10 years to admit it WAS a category 5 storm. Why they haven’t admitted
the death toll as it truly was, is still distressingly curious. The area of South Florida has not yet recovered,
14 years after.
However, that isn’t the main reason I’m commenting. People need to hear truth of what they have experienced.
I think with Katrina, it’s being better managed, but still in public, the true impact is being denied. The
outside world hears the truth, the nation might not, and those who experience these storms know the truth. To
deny the truth to those who do know, can’t possible help their mental health, imo. This secondary
traumatization needs to end. Validation is vitally important.