When Dr. Genevi猫ve Belleville hears about what people in British Columbia have experienced during the wildfire season, she says it is very similar to what was witnessed in Fort McMurray after last year害羞草研究所檚 wildfire there.

害羞草研究所淓verybody has been evacuated, or has been touched by the problem,害羞草研究所� says Belleville, a professor of psychology at Laval University in Quebec City. 害羞草研究所淓verybody knows someone who experienced serious loss. There can be some 害羞草研究所榮urvivor害羞草研究所� guilt about letting yourself feel whatever you have been experiencing, because you are comparing yourself to somebody who has had it worse than you.

害羞草研究所淭his is a common reaction, I think, when an entire community has been subjected to a disaster or catastrophe.害羞草研究所�

The worst loss of homes happened in Boston Flats near Cache Creek, where the Elephant Hill wildfire all but one of 60 units in a mobile home park last month.

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Belleville says there are two kinds of stressors for evacuees.

害羞草研究所淭he experience of fear during the evacuation is really important. If you feel you are going to lose everything, or that you are going to lose somebody you are really close to, this can make a big impression on your brain, and cause some reminiscences afterward that are going to be difficult to deal with.害羞草研究所�

The other kind of stress factor is the day-to-day adaption to the disaster.

害羞草研究所淢aybe they didn害羞草研究所檛 lose their home, but maybe they have cleaning to do, or they have some replacements to make. They have to deal with the insurance companies, or maybe some of them changed their work schedules or lost their jobs,害羞草研究所� Belleville says.

Those who lost their homes will be living with extensive trauma, she adds.

害羞草研究所淵ou not only lose the things you need to function. You lose memories, and things that you are emotionally attached to. That害羞草研究所檚 a lot to take in, and obviously a very impactful event.害羞草研究所�

She says it害羞草研究所檚 important for these people to get both tangible support, such as a place to stay while their home is being rebuilt, and emotional support, such as having others to talk to.

And she cautions about others being too optimistic.

害羞草研究所淲ith good intentions, we might want to say to somebody, 害羞草研究所楨verything is not so bad, everything is going to be alright, you害羞草研究所檙e alive, that害羞草研究所檚 what counts.害羞草研究所� But sometimes these good intentions are a bit dismissive of what the person is trying to express, whether it害羞草研究所檚 sadness or frustration.害羞草研究所�

She says there are other things those affected by the fires can do to de-stress, such as exercises to reduce anxiety and remembering to have fun with friends and family.

害羞草研究所淪ome people go through what we call post-traumatic growth. The painful experience has opened their eyes on what their true value is, and what they want to focus their life on,害羞草研究所� she says.

害羞草研究所淥f course, these events are terrible, and we害羞草研究所檙e not saying they害羞草研究所檙e good things to experience, but there is hope that most people, with time and with care, are going to get better. Most of them are going to be resilient, and some of them may even find that this event maybe helped them change their life for the better.害羞草研究所�