How to cope when disaster strikes

In the wake of Tuesday's Christchurch quake, New Zealand's Mental Health Foundation has released information for how to cope in the aftermath of a disaster.

The Foundation advises that there are five simple ways to maintaining your wellbeing during this distressing time:

• Connect. Stay in touch with the people around you — family, friends and other loved ones. Pay particular attention to children, the elderly or friends and neighbours who are alone.
• Give. Volunteer your time to help others — focussing on the needs of others will help you cope with your own losses, at least temporarily.
• Take notice. Don't hide away. Instead take notice of everything going on around you — seek good moments in the middle of disaster.
• Learn. Now is the time when everyone will need to work together. Learn something new that will help others affected.
• Be active. Keep up your physical activity — this will help keep your body and mind active as well as keep away any blues that come naturally after such a catastrophic event. If your normal exercise routine is to regularly go for a walk or a run, then if it's safe to do so you should maintain this.

The quake was deeply felt by the Foundation's staff in Christchurch as four of the six members were in their offices when the quake struck and took shelter under their desks.

"It's been scary, shocking, upsetting, distressing and so unpredictable," she says. "All our staff are safe, but as far as their homes are concerned, we're still finding out the full extent of the damage," says Mental Health Foundation Chief Executive, Judi Clements.

Clements urges people to focus on their wellbeing first then look out for others. "Like any trauma, there’s an inevitable reaction of panic that can take over. But in the midst of that, keep those human contacts going, stick together and look after others who may be more vulnerable — young people, older people, people on their own or with physical impairments or disabilities."