Rising from the Ashes

Source: YisroelB501, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons

Disasters like wildfires devastate lives in an instant. But what about the long-term psychological effects?

The damage to homes, the displacement of families, and the destruction of cherished possessions all contribute to feelings of loss, dislocation, and distress. Homeowners’ anguish can be further exacerbated if insurance doesn’t cover replacement costs.

Common Primary Disturbances

Regardless of whether one’s home is spared or lost, smelling lingering smoke, seeing fires in the distance, and driving past vast scorched landscapes can serve as relentless reminders of danger and can heighten feelings of being under constant threat.

Understandably, one of the most common effects of natural disasters like wildfires is anxiety. Survivors can report hypervigilance, fearing that another fire could erupt at any moment. For parents, there is an added burden of managing not only their own fears but also the emotional well-being of their children, who may need help processing what happened.

Despite such acute negative emotional experiences, subsequent chronic mental health disturbances are less common than you might think. Research indicates that, in the long term, happiness is fairly stable, even after extreme events.

Given our cultural overuse of the term “trauma,” this may seem surprising.

According to clinical psychologist Camilo Ortiz, a cognitive behavioral therapist, while primary disturbances such as nightmares, intrusive thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue are common, for most people, even their home being destroyed by a fire will not result in long-term negative psychological effects.

Optimism for a Full Recovery

Part of the reason this might seem hard to believe is that our ability to engage in accurate affective forecasting, predicting how we’ll feel in the future, relies on an evolutionarily newer part of the brain. According to Harvard psychologist Dan Gilbert, “it isn’t surprising that when we try to use this new ability to imagine our futures, we make some rookie errors.”

This doesn’t mean that everyone affected by natural disasters, especially those who are injured or who narrowly escape physical danger, will emerge emotionally unscathed. But even those for whom the experience was life-threatening are at a lower risk of developing a post-traumatic stress response than one might think. While much of the attention in discussions of trauma focuses on PTSD, many people experience significant distress without ever meeting the clinical criteria for the disorder. Only about 10-20% of people who experience a severe traumatic event develop PTSD—and of those who do, the majority eventually recover.

In the immediate aftermath of an event like a wildfire, it is normal to feel angry and sorry for oneself and to look for someone to blame. But such feelings, despite the enormity of the disaster, are usually temporary. “Even profound despair in the short run may not become a permanent disturbance unless one sustains it with rage, over-pity, and condemnation,” says CBT expert and clinical psychologist Nando Pelusi.

Angry rumination, self-pity, and blame also get in the way of successfully effecting change. Blame and rage are very different from—and interfere with— investigating what went wrong and planning how to avoid such disasters in the future.

Developing Resilience

Our behavior, feelings, and thoughts are all connected. Changing our thinking provides the opportunity to change our feelings and behavior in ways that foster resilience, especially when our feelings or behavior are disturbed or disempowering.

Resilience involves developing the capacity to adapt and recover in the face of adversity, not avoiding pain or distress. For those affected by the LA fires, building resilience starts with acknowledging the psychological impact of the disaster.

It is normal to grieve for what has been lost. It is normal to feel overwhelmed by the task of rebuilding. Such emotions are not signs of weakness but, rather, human responses to extraordinary circumstances.

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Professional support can also play a vital role in fostering resilience, especially for those who struggle with their emotional state. Therapy, whether individual or group-based, provides an opportunity to process emotions, develop coping strategies, and confront lingering fears.

For some, mindfulness practices such as meditation or yoga can help regulate feelings of stress and promote a sense of calm amidst chaos. Others find solace in creative outlets such as writing, painting, or music, which can transform pain into something tangible and, ultimately, healing.

Social support is also important. Time and again, disasters illustrate the power of communities coming together in the face of tragedy. Neighbors check on one another, strangers donate supplies, and volunteers work tirelessly to assist those in need. These acts of social solidarity and compassion not only provide practical help but also send a powerful message: You don't have to face this alone.

Beyond Resilience: Growth

Rebuilding a life after a disaster can feel overwhelming, but breaking it down into manageable goals can help restore a sense of control. Whether it’s organizing remaining belongings, planting new trees in a scorched yard, or simply taking a daily walk, these acts of agency can foster hope and forward momentum.

Practicing self-compassion is also important. “Be kind to yourself,” says Dr. Ortiz. Don’t judge yourself for experiencing things like sleep disturbances, irritability, and mood swings. These are part of a “normal distress reaction to a horrible experience.”

Psychologist Joshua Aronson suggests taking a page from Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning by being useful to others. Doing so not only helps people heal, it also provides a sense of meaning and fosters post-traumatic growth. After a traumatic experience, many people describe not just bouncing back but growing stronger—becoming "antifragile."

Of course, the emotional toll of disasters such as wildfires can linger after the flames are extinguished. But resilience and antifragility are not about ignoring distress or tragedy. They are about the capacity to endure, adapt, and thrive in the face of it.

Thankfully, most of us will.