KEY POINTS
Big T trauma includes domestic violence, sexual assault, death, war, or a natural disaster.
The overwhelming fear, confusion, and sense of loss from a natural disaster can feel all-consuming.
There is a shared psychological response that all humans go through when faced with a natural disaster.
In the study of trauma, most professionals classify trauma into two categories, “big T trauma” and “little t trauma.” Big T trauma includes domestic violence, sexual assault, death, war, or a natural disaster.
Most professionals also say that when it comes to trauma, it’s important to never compare traumas.
From losing a home, having to evacuate, and working as a first responder or in a helping profession to witnessing a disaster firsthand, understanding the lasting psychological impact of a natural disaster is an important part of a community’s rebuilding process.
The overwhelming fear, confusion, and sense of loss from a natural disaster can feel all-consuming.
Having lived in Los Angeles for 16 years, I’m all too familiar with wildfire warnings and fire season. However, never in my life have I experienced what I did last week. While I didn’t lose my house, many friends and colleagues I know have.
There hasn’t been a person I’ve come across in Los Angeles who doesn’t know someone directly impacted by the fires.
One of the coping mechanisms I use when faced with a challenge is to try to do something that makes me feel useful. I noticed how I felt when the fires began, and I experienced the need “to do something.”
I also started to notice how others were responding and wondered if, similar to the stages of grief, there was something we do in response to a disaster.
While there’s no one “right” way to cope, there is a shared psychological response that all humans go through when faced with a natural disaster. Whether it’s the recent Los Angeles wildfires, the widespread catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene, or any other catastrophe, research shows there are six common psychological stages of a disaster.
Reflecting on my own experience, I’ve been able to see how these stages can help us make sense of our process and find hope in the aftermath.
The Six Psychological Stages of a Disaster
When we know what to expect during a time of crisis, we can better understand our emotional response and see that while recovery may be slow, we are capable of healing.
1. Pre-Disaster Phase
The pre-disaster phase is marked by anticipation and anxiety. It’s when we feel the weight of an approaching threat but haven’t yet experienced the crisis. We might begin to prepare—pack bags, check evacuation routes, or, as I did, download apps like Watch Duty. In this phase, it’s normal to feel uncertainty or even denial.
Acknowledging the fear can help us stay grounded and take the necessary steps to cope—whether we make plans to evacuate or simply sit with the uncomfortable emotions.
2. Impact Phase
The impact phase occurs when the disaster becomes real. I remember going for a walk in my neighborhood and seeing a glowing red haze just over the hill from where I live. It was the moment I realized how close the fire actually was and that I might have to evacuate.
The impact phase is when we feel shock and confusion and are overwhelmed by an immediate threat. I found myself paralyzed for a moment, unsure of what to do next.
This phase is marked by fear and disbelief. It can feel like everything is happening too fast, and it’s difficult to think clearly or logically. It’s a time of survival when our brains go into “fight or flight” mode. Responses can vary widely depending on the nature of the disaster and our personal coping mechanisms.
Finding grace or some type of self-regulation tool, like box breathing or tapping, during this phase is important because we’re not going to have all the answers or know what’s coming next.
3. Heroic Phase
The heroic phase follows the initial shock and describes when the need to act becomes urgent. It’s when courage and selflessness emerge, and we may feel a surge of adrenaline. People often come together to help one another during a crisis.
This is the phase we check in with our neighbors or friends. It’s when we may volunteer with a local organization. It’s when people start to post on social media about where to donate or what I mentioned earlier about how I wanted to do something that made me feel “useful.”
The surge of adrenaline brings a rush of energy, but it can also be exhausting. It’s common to feel a sense of purpose and even a heightened sense of connection with others. But once the energy fades, so does the initial “high.”
The heroic phase is necessary for survival, but it can’t last forever. It’s important to be mindful of the toll it takes. This is especially relevant for first responders and people who work in helping professions.
4. Honeymoon Phase (Days to Weeks After)
The honeymoon phase is the emotional high that follows an immediate crisis. People feel relief, gratitude, and optimism. They feel like they’re going to be OK and they can “get through this together.”
But the optimism is often short-lived. As the recovery process begins, the reality of what’s to come begins to set in. Like a honeymoon, this phase is temporary. The honeymoon phase offers a reprieve, but the lasting work of recovery takes more time.
5. Disillusionment Phase (Weeks to Months After)
Similar to coming down from a high, the disillusionment phase begins after the adrenaline wears off, and the work of rebuilding takes an emotional toll. Frustration, exhaustion, anger, and rage are common. I remember feeling rage as I heard some of the fires were caused by arson.
The optimism of the honeymoon phase isn’t as salient, and the reality of what life will be like after the disaster feels like a punch in the stomach and like the world we once knew has come to an end. The time it will take to have some semblance of normalcy feels massive, and the emotional toll of dealing with the aftermath may feel insurmountable.
It’s OK, and even normal, to feel like things will never improve. But this phase is necessary before true growth can happen. We have to reckon with the emotional reality of rebuilding and what our new life will look like. It’s also where true healing begins.
6. Reconstruction or Recovery Phase (Months to Years After)
The recovery phase reminds me of the 12-step recovery concept of “acceptance” and is about accepting that healing is a process. It’s not just about restoring what was lost; it’s about taking what we learned from the experience, allowing ourselves to grieve, and transforming the pain into something good on behalf of others.
We don’t need to experience challenges to arrive at our purpose. When we can find purpose in our challenges, though, we create transformation.
The recovery phase helps us find meaning amid the destruction. The outcome of recovery may be unknown, but it’s in this phase that we begin to feel hope and find purpose in the process of renewal.
While the devastation, loss, and trauma from a natural disaster is a serious subject, and naming its effects is no easy feat, healing is possible, and understanding the six psychological stages of a disaster can be incredibly helpful when navigating trauma.
The journey ahead may be long, but it’s one we don’t have to walk alone.
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Image source: Chris Tompkins
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