Mental health concerns inundate Townsville after major flood event

Two months after the devastating Townsville floods swept through the city damaging more than 3000 homes, a very real danger flows through the community which still has children packing suitcases in fright.

TWO months after the devastating Townsville floods swept through the city damaging more than 3000 homes, a very real danger flows through the community which still has children packing suitcases in fright.

For some the sound of rain, sight of grey cloud or storm forecasts are triggering fears floods may inundate Townsville again.

Professor of Psychiatry at James Cook University Brett McDermott said it was “normal” for people to have a degree of stress after the floods but he said mental health was a rising issue.

“The cut off is after a month, if you still have a mental health condition you should get help,” he said.

“The most common presentation after a natural disaster is depression, not PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).

“It gets more serious because if people don’t get help it gets worse.”

Prof McDermott said signs of depression included the feeling of sadness most days of the week, a sense of pessimism about the future and a lack of joy in life.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service Professor of Psychiatry Brett McDermott

He said anxiety was also a common condition after the floods, with a phobia of rain, storms and cloudy weather developing.

“When that happens they feel fearful or anxious,” he said.

Prof McDermott said PTSD was less common but still present after the floods.

He said those who experienced heightened fear during the flooding may experience PTSD, including nightmares and flashbacks, whereas those who experienced loss were more likely to have depression.

Queensland University of Technology Associate Professor Evonne Miller, who has studied the effects of flooding on older people, said the feeling of loss does not simply disappear over time.

“There will be a realisation the don’t have something anymore, a sentimental photograph … or a recipe,” she said. “When you lose your home … you lose a sense of your identity.”

“The shock and horror doesn’t go away but you do adjust.”

Child psychologist Carolyn Seri said some children were still packing bags and suitcases in fear of another flood with the younger ones feeling confused.

“The children don’t have a benchmark for this, they don’t understand it,” she said.

“They don’t understand the (Ross River) Dam and may have a lot of angst about it.”

Ms Seri said some older flood-affected children may now be feeling angry.

“Lots of kids are feeling displaced, lots of kids feeling angry,” she said. “Their friends have all moved on when they’re still without a home.”

Carolyn Seri

Dr Jason Lee, medical director of Townsville Hospital and Health Service’s mental health service group, said a lot of people in North Queensland will have felt dispirited during the floods and clean-up.

“For most people, these emotional and psychological difficulties get better within a month.

For those who are continuing to feel distressed, it is important that they see their GP to

discuss this,” Dr Lee said.

“In response to the stress surrounding both going through and recovering from the floods,

some people may find themselves experiencing other problems in their lives, such as

increased use of alcohol or problems in their relationships.

“It is important that the community be aware it is okay to ask for help, and there are good supports in the community to help you.

“Keeping active, enjoying the company of family and friends and returning to the routines of

life are particularly helpful with your ability to cope during stressful times.”

Useful mental health resources include:

lifeline.org.au

beyondblue.org.au

headspace.org.au

tropicalbrainandmind.com.au

Originally published as Mental health concerns inundate Townsville after major flood event