Recovery & Resources: A GUIDE TO...

Fire is sudden and merciless, and losing a home can produce trauma that is deceptively deep, according to psychologists concerned about the effects of the devastating Southern California fires.

“Losing one’s home, which contains all one’s hopes and memories, is one of the most traumatic events one can have, probably only less traumatic than losing a spouse or a family member,” said David Pilon, director of community services for the Mental Health Assn., a nonprofit group based in the Wilshire District.

Pilon and other professionals are advising people to watch their friends and relatives affected by fire losses for signs of distress--even if at first the victims appear unfazed.

A toll-free hot line ((800) 854-7771) has been established by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health for people emotionally affected by the fires.

Local offices of the American Red Cross and Catholic Charities also may be called for referrals to counseling or psychological help. Those in need may call the Cardinal McIntyre Fund for Charity ((213) 251-3438) or Catholic centers near the Altadena area at (213) 266-3130 and near the Malibu area at (310) 392-8710.

Referrals also may be obtained from the Mental Health Assn. ((213) 413-1130) or the Mental Health Service of Southern California ((800) THERAPIST).

To cope with fire losses, the County Department of Mental Health is making the following recommendations:

* Talk about the event. Encourage family members to describe what they saw, heard, thought, smelled and felt.

* Be supportive of each other, acknowledging hurt, pain and sense of loss.

* Allow family members to heal at their own pace.

* Give and ask support from family, friends and the community.

* Be flexible with roles and chores.

* Remember that you are not alone.

Recognizing what are “normal” reactions is very important, said Robert T. Scott, who is chairman of the disaster response team of the Los Angeles County Psychological Assn. and a consultant on mental health issues for the Red Cross.

“It’s OK for people to have some normal responses to very abnormal events,” Scott said. “They may have physical reactions such as headaches or stomachaches that are from stress.

“And they may have psychological reactions, too, of disbelief and a feeling of numbness in this first stage,” he said.

“When that wears off, people start to feel more of the real impact, and will have feelings of sadness, grief and anxiety as well as fear or anger.”

People should also be aware that victims may experience poor concentration, mental confusion, slowness of thinking and forgetfulness, he said.

“This is a temporary state, a reaction to an overload of emotions. They will return to their usual state within weeks or months,” he said.

“For some it may take longer, and for those people it is a good thing to get some additional help, a little counseling or what we call ‘post-disaster intervention,’ ” Scott said.

It is very common to have mental flashbacks in which one relives the experience--of a frantic evacuation, for instance--but the memories will fade, Scott said.

Red Cross offices, whose telephone numbers can be found in local directories, have educational pamphlets telling how to cope with loss and trauma. People in those offices can also refer callers to counseling for post-disaster support.

Although the tasks at hand and accepting the support of friends may dominate the early days and weeks of people hit by fires, there are other things to think about, advises Patricia Mendoza, director of Project Rebound, a County Department of Mental Health program.

She suggested getting away from repairs for a day and taking time for recreation.

“Pay attention to your health, to good diet and adequate sleep,” Mendoza said. “Relaxation exercises may help if you have difficulty sleeping.”