Bushfires can trigger PTSD

The Australian Summer heat, soaring temperatures and strong winds have a way of triggering us physically, and emotionally. A reminder of devastating bushfires in Australia.

Those of us who have experienced bushfire close to home, or whose homes were destroyed, or those on the frontline fighting fires can experience trauma by the mere smell of smoke, sirens wailing, or footage of houses burning and people in distress because of a bushfire. 

The devastating 2019/2020 bushfires in Australia was captured by the Australian National University’s Mental health, wellbeing and resilience after the 2019-2020 bushfires surveywhich found widespread high levels of depression, anxiety and stress 12–18 months after the fires. 

Severity of bushfire exposure was associated with severity of psychological distress: those with the highest exposure reported higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. 

Those indirectly affected also showed higher psychological distress than the wider sample – with almost three-quarters experiencing anxiety symptoms up to two years after the fires.

Mental distress was higher for bushfire-affected parents with dependents than for non-parents. Bushfire-affected parents reported their children having more behavioural and emotional challenges.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event such as bushfires, causing intense fear, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, hypervigilance, negative emotions (like guilt, anger, hopelessness), and difficulty concentrating or sleeping. 

Counselling is an effective way of supporting people with PTSD with strategies that help them heal from this type of trauma.

I am a psychotherapist and counsellor working in clinics on the NSW far south coast. 

I am offering free counselling sessions for those triggered by Australia’s Summer bushfire season

See my credentials: https://pacfa.org.au/portal/TherapistProfile?Id=19728

During the Summer bushfire season, I am offering free counselling sessions via zoom call to support those people who are experiencing mental health issues during this difficult time. 

To make a booking, please contact me at kdkrueger24@gmail.com