Fires: Inside and Outside and What You Can Do About It

From Linda M. Rio, PWN contributor, author, and marriage and family therapist – At this moment I’m typing between power outages at my Southern California home. My family and I have all been safe and as of now have not had to evacuate due to fires, but we have our “go bags” packed and ready. We were without power for over fifty hours and were told to expect another outage as another round of severe winds was expected momentarily. This is definitely what I call an externally triggered stressor and most certainly felt by thousands and thousands of folks this week. My family and I feel grateful and blessed and aware that so many others are suffering. Just weeks ago, another fire in Ventura County, California, destroyed hundreds of homes not far from us either. And as I write this, I am keeping those with what I call “endocrine challenges” particularly in mind, even though stress and anxiety certainly can affect anyone. However, those with pituitary or other endocrine disorders can be affected more easily by any stress differently or more intensely than others. More on that later.

Southern California has been in unprecedented disaster due to the historically strong winds. We must all remember other similar tragic fires in our state, like the Paradise fire and what happened in Maui. Just like folks in the mid-west experience terrible tornados and the Gulf Coast has hurricanes, we in So Cal expect occasional high winds. Every place on Earth has some natural challenge to face. The winds in Southern California this week have been exceptionally high, lasting days and days, and have followed two recent years of rain, therefore vegetation growth. Last Spring, almost everyone I know truly marveled at our green hillsides, knowing we’d pay a price eventually. I am a native Californian and genuinely love the immense beauty and diversity this vast state has to offer, but we pay a price financially to live here as well as a cost Mother Nature inflicts. Most of us are willing to deal with the costs because we love it here, as I’m sure others deal with their natural challenges because the benefits outweigh the negatives.

Major disasters affect more than those directly impacted. My relatives on the East Coast have been quite worried about us. Although we missed much of the news coverage of the fires because we had no power or internet, others worldwide have seen images of our orange/red skies and helicopter and air tanker water drops. What was once a local issue has become common knowledge everywhere. I used to have to explain what we deal with here, but now almost everyone knows what a “Santa Ana” wind means. Access to information and scenes worldwide due to global connections and social media input now means that local events are not just local anymore. There can be a benefit to information sharing but also a detriment.

According to a recent survey in November 2024 by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the top things causing Americans stress and loss of sleep have been the economy, gun violence, and hate crimes at the top of the list. The survey included 2200 US adults in the APA’s Healthy Minds monthly series. I expect these priorities to change depending on the week or month such surveys are conducted. During any imminent threat to life, health, or safety, very few things matter other than what is right in the moment. This is part of Mother Nature’s design to help us focus on staying alive. When we are in a state of less imminence, other worries may enter our brains.

When a major news event is natural or human-caused, it is quitey normal for people to want to know. Since the beginning of time, people have wanted to know what is happening around them. Curiosity doesn’t just give us something to talk about (which serves the purpose of connecting with one another), but it is also self-protecting. Our natural curiosity, which gets stimulated by cortisol release, is part of our natural alarm system. We need to be alert to our surroundings and what happens externally because something could cause us harm. Our five senses act not only to enhance the pleasure of the human experience but also as a protective shield. After our refrigerator lost power for days, I used my senses of taste and smell to ascertain what foods had to be thrown out and not cause illness due to spoilage.

But our curiosity and need to protect ourselves and our family can also go to extremes. Recent research has shown the effect social media can have on the brains of adults, especially adolescents and young children. It is normal for children, especially teens, to want to know what their peers are doing and “into” to develop ways of connecting and becoming a part of a group socially, which can be a form of finding “protection.” The research shows that there can be a negative side to this desire as it can affect brain development, especially in areas involved in addictions. This is a much bigger topic, but our need to “know” can become obsessive, and everyone needs to be aware of how consuming information that produces fear, worry, and intensity can negatively affect them. There is a point at which knowing too much is bad for the mind and bad for the body if you are not directly affected by a threat. This is what I think of as an internal “fire” that can start with a spark (thought) then flare into a ful- blown state of panic. What I mean is that those in Southern California right now need to stay aware of where an actual fire threat may be if they might be affected. But others need to consume as much information about what is going on as they can handle, then take a break to douse the internal fire. Even those here need to develop good self-care strategies to cope with these external threats.

Those with pituitary or other challenges to the endocrine system and others may need to be extra aware of what such major news events can have on them. Some people seem to be born with a lower threshold to stress, and for others, this may be acquired through chronic or other illness or a low or malfunctioning hormonal system. I think some people’s bodies are just like living in Southern California, more prone to the internal fires of anxiety. We know that some with endocrine disorders have a higher incidence of anxiety and depression. So, anyone challenged needs to take extra care to monitor the impact that external stress can cause because their internal system is already more anxious.

Whether anxiety/stress is caused by a major external stress such as a fire disaster or a buildup of many small, daily stressors (work stress, marital and family distress, financial worry, housing instability, etc.), the mind and body will be affected. The best course is to know your own tolerance levels, what kinds of things trigger your worry, and mindfully attend to your bodily signs of stress. Individuals may have different ways their bodies show signs of stress. Some people are prone to headaches, backaches, or even skin rashes. For others, stomach and gastrointestinal upsets occur, including a change in appetite or sleep patterns. And it is important to remember that something like watching a lot of coverage about the fires this week may not show up in the body until next week. Something else is a stress, then another thing… until a tipping point occurs. Ways that stress comes out can be as small as yelling at a child or spouse or as serious as violence.

Physical exercise, even gentle movement, is an excellent way to release stress naturally. Mindful breathing, eating good, healthy food, and eliminating alcohol are known and effective stress management techniques. Since the endocrine system is designed to help our body and mind properly respond to a threat, it provides us with the energy necessary to take action. Suppose we do not provide a healthy outlet for such action as physically doing something. In that case, stress will continue to recirculate and begin to cause unnecessary and unhealthy obsessions, which can, if left unchecked, lead to chronic anxiety and even panic. So, taking action in times like what many currently face is critical. The action can be physical movement but also involve doing actions that can help others such as volunteering at a shelter, food bank, or donation center. Even making conscious efforts to donate locally or to a reputable disaster relief organization is an “action” that helps repair society. Organizations such as The American Red Cross, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, the Los Angeles Fireman’s Relief Association, and others may be options for donations of cash or goods. Humans, and all mammals, have a natural need to restore order and return to a sense of balance. If you do not live anywhere near So Cal, it can still be a healthy option to consider doing something locally that can benefit someone. Even being a bit more kind and aware of others as you drive or encounter others can help in your mental health as well as for others. Whenever the body and mind show signs of intense levels of stress, it is also good to find someone who is a good listener or to consider seeking the guidance of a mental health professional. For pituitary and other endocrine-challenged patients, it may be advisable in times of increased stress to vigilantly monitor yourself and seek advice from your endocrinologist, who may want to adjust medications.

For everyone, I hope you stay safe from whatever and stay aware of healthy ways to monitor and manage whatever stress occurs. And, for those directly affected by these fires, our hearts go out to you and everyone else who has had to deal with unforeseen natural events. For those of us who still have a home, food, and loved ones, may we remember each day to appreciate, appreciate, appreciate.

“Linda is in private practice in Westlake Village, California, and can be reached at

Linda M. Rio, M.A., LMFT (805) 619-0950  www.Lindamrio.com

The book The Hormone Factor in Mental Health is available through Amazon.com and other major booksellers.Order your copy here.

 

 

Coming soon a new book on Hypopituitarism from Dr. Lewis Blevins

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