Accumulating stress since Katrina: Any suggestions?

[Pillar15]

Ever since Katrina I have just been building up stress, showing signs of OCD, but it is self diagnosed so I am not sure. I never tried to help myself with it, never did anything about it, just kept to myself and never told anyone, and I have not gone anywhere without my parents for about 500 days now...

Now my problem is that now all stress and frustrations builds up into immature temper tantrums, and now even talking about what gets on my nerves is not enough... I can't seem to do anything to help it and it is weighing on me...

I am just looking for any and all healthy stress relieving techniques I can do...this is starting to become a big problem for me and makes me feel like it is ruining my life.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Were you living in or near the area affected by Katrina, Pillar? How old are you?

You indicate that you have never talked to anyone about this. Would you consider going to talk to a therapist or counsellor of some kind?

A lot of people who survived Katrina showed symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). You may be showing some PTSD symptoms yourself, in which case a therapist could help you cope more effectively with them.

 

[Pillar15]

i was 6 blocks from the ninth ward...and am 15...

Thanks for the suggestion too

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Talk to your parents, Pillar. Try to arrange to talk to someone about this. You had your whole world turned upside down in a short period of time. My guess is that you are suffering from PTSD - get some help with that.