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Depression, anxiety following Hurricane Sandy

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    Experts say psychological effects likely to grow

  • Duration 5:20
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I don't care if you -- -- all week you didn't sleep and you just felt.

Awful because we're gonna make you feel better time now for Sunday house call I promised joining us this morning doctor David -- body.

Who is the vice chairman of the department of -- chief robotics at the Mount Sinai Medical Center and doctor Marc Siegel associate professor of medicine at NYU's -- on medical center and the author of the inner pulse.

Unlocking the secret code of sickness and health doctors is always good morning good morning great to see Sosa view.

Well obviously.

You've been watching fox in the reporting and you know that it's been a very tough week for millions of Americans can imagine going two weeks without any power.

No heat.

No clean water potentially -- sandy and then the nor'easter was just about too much.

Experts are obviously warning of psychological distress citing possible long term emotional fallout from all of this but doctors might and we also have.

The physical.

Symptoms that people are reporting.

Yes absolutely -- look we're familiar with this kind of hurricanes or earthquakes and natural disasters.

The truth is that these -- trigger point which is the physical aspect of this homes are being destroyed people have lost their cars.

Did you know their follow those and and wedding dresses of all of that.

That's the immediate one that's in front of us and what's coming after that.

Is really the emotional this psychological aspect of it.

Which could be even more devastating.

Then the physical aspect of it and that's what we're concerned about the post traumatic.

Stress disorder -- window if they have crossed the line into that because we want to cry for that would.

Can only imagine what's going on inside what you really have to pay attention are the symptoms of PT EST you may not be aware of this and I think this is the biggest message of this segment.

Is to understand that you're going through those changes immediately the first month if you're having difficult to -- your sleeping if you have -- -- you have flashback.

Hearing the same sound of hurricane coming through your home or your apartment kids are having difficulty concentrating.

And that results into depression and anxiety over time you need to recognize that because after a month.

You go from acute stress disorder to their real PTS the and it ultimately -- you'd turn up this the better it is for you because then ought to -- can become violence.

Can lead to alcohol abuse and and I had a second remark about the -- want.

Unfortunately that came to my office now I'm not a psychiatrist but every doctor should be a good psychiatrist and their practice.

I just ask them you know he's PSAs on cancer is gonna say how -- life -- you because I saw something he wasn't himself.

Said look I -- open to you are having gone in my mouth last week.

I'm about to take my life and this is a real story.

All of a sudden everything stops and I said let's talk about it let's bring all of that so.

We have to face this we've got help for him he's going to be fine and you really have to reach out it's a tough time but you know something.

There's a better future for us there's a brighter day we're gonna get together Americans are strong we get through this and that is -- there.

The -- of neighbors being their for neighbors that certainly makes us proud -- Once you cross the line from the immediate impact of stress.

To a chronic condition of stress what treatments are out there because like with every -- -- a poison right so I don't -- -- medication may be right away.

-- absolutely and we have a lot of precedence for this and Hurricane Katrina 20% of people develop posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms David said.

35%.

Had an increased risk of mental health problems why is this happening.

Because you lose control because you not not your usual patterns.

Because even your bus stops working where you train stops working or your power goes out everyone has a story about how they're not in -- right element.

Elderly people are specially more at risk they're used to that particular pattern of life.

It's disrupted even if they're not staying in someone else's house maybe just taken longer to get into war.

What do you do about it you asked me what do you do about it.

The first thing you do is try they get regain some control.

There's a great story out this week that someone in the shelter was given baby formula and just being receiving that baby -- for her baby.

Made her feel better you have to as -- -- share with others you have to -- with others.

Then if it continues to go on for months after the disaster is over.

You would consider behavioral therapy sometimes anti depressants work sometimes beta blockers work anti anxiety agent.

But medication is not the first treatment for this it's getting back to some semblance of control over your life and then if it still goes on you would seek help.

Jamie there has been a lot of debate about PTS -- -- we -- seated with the soldiers coming back from Iraq and there are debates whether it's really true or not.

And now we're finding out as doctors that there is truly physiological changes.

That happens in these people's brains that need dollars sent to the Fear Factory that really was overworked hormone changes in the core result so it is real.

-- -- it is not going to do it.

Talking to people this is a time where the social network getting to get it would neighbors -- calling a family members.

And take small steps you don't -- look at the whole house -- take small steps and build up.

And we will get through know what.

I first I want to thank you for helping that patient in a way that isn't your.

Training but -- went beyond the call of duty -- counsel a lot of military men and women when they come back on this very issue and I tell them inning.

By inning just take it inning by inning that's a grateful thanks we'll talk about this issue again because I think it will be something that people want to know very.

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