Katrina, The gift that keeps on giving

After the storm, depression settles in
Plagued by nightmares, insomnia, Katrina's refugees struggle for stability



CHICAGO - When William Villavaso closes his eyes, the nightmare is waiting for him — the one about the 15 hours he spent in water slick with diesel fuel in New Orleans, a life jacket and a chunk of wood keeping him afloat until he was rescued.

Six months after losing his home and his possessions to Hurricane Katrina, the 49-year-old New Orleans native is now living in Chicago, where he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and wakes up from bad dreams in a cold sweat.

On a scale from 1 to 10 — 10 being well — Villavaso says that emotionally, “right now I’m probably a 2.”

snip

As many as 500,000 Katrina evacuees around the country may need mental health counseling, according to the U.S. Substance and Mental Health Services Administration. And while Villavaso is getting help, the government says many others are not, and may not even know they need it.

snip

More: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11863851/

I cannot imagine how horrible it would have been to be hit by Katrina, and how awful the aftermath is for them, because I am not in their shoes. But, PTSD was something I expected would hit many of the survivors. And for those still living in hotels -- and now getting kicked out -- that is not going to help them. Dear God, but could there have been a WORSE person to be in office than Bush when this happened? A man who, I believe, is totally incapable of feeling empathy, sympathy, or especially, compassion.

To Merh, and all other survivors: :grouphug:

for Mardi Gras (although that was not my purpose for being there). I talked to a LOT of people there and everyone, everyone has a story that would curl most people's hair. Even those who evacuated and didn't have their lives totally destroyed are distraught. I found it amazing how insensitive many of the tourists who were there at the time could be in light of all that happened. People taking water ruined pieces of other people's lives for souvenirs, taking pictures in front of houses destroyed and having 1,2 or 3 in the infamous "X" on each house denoting the number of dead recovered there. Asking idiotic personal questions of survivors, asking for "Katrina" tee-shirts at shops........some people can be SUCH assholes!
New Orleans is coming back, slowly. There are over 500 restaurants open now and the number keeps rising daily. But the people........the survivors are scared as hell with another hurricane season looming just around the corner. I heard tales that would make a normal person break down and cry, and I did.
They're a hardy breed, they want to return and get on with their lives. The most common message, seen just about everywhere is, "Re-New Orleans. I can hardly blame them. There's not another place like ti on earth. But they have a lot of psychological trauma to deal with not to mention the specter of a new hurricane season just around the bend. I really hope they're spared any storms this year, they need a break, psychologically as well as physically.

The "souvenier" and ogling mentality that is. I even wonder at the idiocy of reporters who stand there and ask tragedy victims (who are obviously distraught), "How do you feel about this?". I'm waiting for one of them to look at the reporter and scream, "My house has been destroyed by a hurricane, my child is dead and I have nothing left--how the &^%$ do you think I feel?!?" I realize the reporters are doing their job but their questions seem so ridiculous and callous sometimes.