Look after your mental wellbeing
Experiencing a disaster can be overwhelming. It’s normal for you and your whānau to feel upset and physically drained during and after an emergency event.
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Experiencing a disaster can be overwhelming. It’s normal for you and your whānau to feel upset and physically drained during and after an emergency event.
Your mental and emotional wellbeing is important. It’s normal to feel stressed or anxious during or after an emergency. But there are things you can do to feel better.
You can text 1737 to speak to a trained counsellor. They can help if you:
- need support or advice
- have feelings of anxiety, stress, prolonged fear, hopelessness or anger, or
- you just need to talk with someone.
If you feel you're not coping, talk to a health professional. Seek medical help from your doctor or a mental health provider familiar with the effects of disasters.
Some people may never have a reaction. Others may have delayed reactions that show up days, weeks or even months after the disaster happens. Not everyone has reactions right away. Your symptoms may go and then come back again when something makes you think of the disaster.
After a disaster, be sure to talk to someone about how you are feeling. There may be a specialist post-disaster crisis counsellor appointed in your area.
Find advice on understanding emotional reactions to emergencies and positive ways of coping on the Ministry of Health website.
Free tools and resources
Find tips for looking after yourself and others when times are tough from All Right?
All Right? is a collaboration between Canterbury DHB and the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand. It was launched in 2013 to support the psychosocial recovery of Cantabrians following the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011.
Find practical tips and techniques to help you take control of your mental wellbeing with Mentemia.
Mentemia was created by former All Black and mental health advocate Sir John Kirwan, tech entrepreneur Adam Clark and an expert team of medical advisors.
Find a health journal, resources and self-awareness tools to help you manage your emotional wellbeing with Melon.
Melon also provides an online community for New Zealanders to support each other and daily webinars for health and wellbeing.
Find online courses to teach you practical strategies to cope with stress with Just a Thought.
Find information and advice on how to look after yourself and your whānau on the depression.org.nz website.
When we are anxious or depressed it can change the way we think, feel and act. Dealing with the tough times can be hard but you’re not alone.
Find tips for coping after a national disaster to support your mental wellbeing.
All Sorts was developed by the Mental Health Foundation to help people bring back some of that agency and control that the pandemic and natural disasters might have taken away.
Find farmer-to-farmer tips, supported and informed by wellbeing science.
Farmstrong is designed for farmers, growers and their families to cope with the ups and downs of farming by sharing things they can do to look after themselves and the people in their business.
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