post 1
Hello all,
Happy Week 9!
Why did you select this resource/site? Why do you find the subject/topic interesting?
For this week’s discussion, I decided to select the website for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which discussed the topic on How To Cope With A Disaster Or Traumatic Event. The reason behind why I chose this source/site is because it was one of the options on our Canvas page and it also was a beneficial source on providing a great amount of information on this subject. I also decided to explore this topic because it has always interested me. I believe that mental health is important in general, especially after experiencing a traumatic event. For example, let’s say someone lost their home due to a wildfire, or had to evacuate their home due to a wildfire, tornado, or even a hurricane. In my opinion, the bottom line is that anyone who goes through such a tragic experience or event where they are forced to be displaced from their homes, worried about their family and loved ones (and in some cases, sometimes separated from one another), it can take a toll on an individual’s mindset, body, and overall mental health. This is why I decided to choose this topic to explore it and discuss it this week.
What is the one thing you want others to know about this subject/topic that is found on the website?
After my research, I believe that there is a lot of great and valuable information here. For example, during and after the event of a disaster, it is only natural for someone to experience a variety of emotions, (CDC, 2019). Some natural responses include feeling anxiety, grief, stress, and also worry, (CDC, 2019). These are all expected findings after a disaster, which is why finding a way to take care of our emotional health during an emergency disaster will help someone to think clearly and be able to react to urgent needs to protect yourself and your family, (CDC, 2019).
However, in correspondence to what I mentioned above, there is one specific thing that I would like others to know from this website. I would like to make sure everyone knows the steps that should be taken to help you cope in the event that there is a disaster and you are feeling any of the natural responses and feelings that occur after a disaster:
1. Take care of your body!! It is important to make sure you eat healthy meals, get adequate exercise and get plenty of rest. It is also good to avoid tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, (CDC, 2019).
2. Connect with others. It is important to share your concerns, feelings and/or emotions with other people such as your friends, family, or loved ones. The reason being is to have and maintain healthy relationships and have a solid support system to help you through your tough times, (CDC, 2019).
3. Take breaks; It is important to take time for yourself to relax and participate in your favorite activities, and to remind yourself that the tough times will pass as well as the strong emotions. It helps to take deep breaths to help calm you, (CDC, 2019).
4. Make sure you stay informed. It is known that most people may become bore stressed or anxious if they are not up to date on the news. Therefore, make sure to keep up with the new by either reading it or watching for updates from local officials. Make sure your sources or adequate and reliable so that you are not reading false information or rumors during a crisis, especially on social media, (CDC, 2019).
5. Avoid too much exposure to the news. Even though it is good to stay informed about the situation, it is also good to take a break from time to time, because being exposed and hearing about the information too much may be upsetting and heartbreaking. Remember step number 3, to take breaks and participate in activities you like to do to help you return to your normal life, (CDC, 2019).
6. Last but not least, it is important to seek help when needed! This step is important because a disaster can cause an individual to have distress that can impact their day to day activities for an extended period of time. If this occurs, it is important to express your feelings and concerns to a counselor, clergy member or contacting the SAMHSA helpline, (CDC, 2019).
What information had the greatest impact on you? Explain.
The information on this website and about this topic that had the greatest impact on me was the part about children. This particular information was heartbreaking and sad because it is unfortunate to know that children suffer a lot through these traumatic disasters as well. It is normal for every child to respond to a disaster differently; some may show their feelings right away and others may hold it in or show their emotions later on, (CDC, 2019). On the other hand, part of what has to do about the way children cope is the adults they have around them, (CDC, 2019). For example, if a parent or caregiver of a child deals with their emotions calm and with confidence, they can be there for the child and show them the best support; not only this, but they can help reassure others, mostly children, when they are better prepared, (CDC, 2019).
In addition, it is unfortunate for children because they are more vulnerable to being hurt during a disaster, and some have more severe longer lasting reactions than others. If they were directly exposed, they can experience PTSD and have reminders of what happened, causing them to become upset all over again, (CDC, 2019). If the situation becomes worse, then it may start to affect the child in regards to them being upset all the time causing their homework and schoolwork to be affected, (CDC, 2019). In these cases, it is important for parents or caregivers to help the child with their needs and provide a professional for them interact with so they can help treat and help the child’s emotional needs, (CDC, 2019).
Reference: CDC. (2019). Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. https:/
post 2
Hello, class today I like to talk about dog therapy international.
https://www.tdi-dog.org/Default.aspx
- Why did you select this resource/site? Why do you find the subject/topic interesting?
Dogs have been aiding and working with humans since ancient times, in everything from farming to hunting to protection and more. service dogs, working dogs, therapy dogs, and emotional support animals all fulfill important roles in their aid to humans, but the terms are not interchangeable. Each recognization is specifically defined, both in terms of the jobs undertaken and the legal rights offered ( AKC, 2021).
I am a pet lover and enjoy the company of a cat or dog, and I have done some research about pet therapy and the effect that it has on patients. I work in a hospital and we provide pet therapy and I can see after each session that any patient has with these dogs how good the patient feels and brightens their day. I believe that most facilities should offer these services to their patients as it could help the patient recover faster and get to go home sooner.
- What is the one thing you want others to know about this subject/topic that is found on the website?
That the therapy dogs should be trained, insured, and licensed by the non-profit that’s offering their services. But one question that someone would ask, is that are the dogs like their job? I personally think they do as most dogs love being pet and have all the attention in the world, as long as they are not being hurt they will accept all the attention you can give them, I think this is a two-way street, and both the patient and the dog give and receive love from each other which puts both of them in a good mood.
Now you may ask who can benefit from dog therapy?
Animal-assisted therapy can significantly reduce pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue in people with a range of health problems:
- Children having dental procedures
- People receiving cancer treatment
- People in long-term care facilities
- People with cardiovascular diseases
- People with dementia
- Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder
- People with anxiety
And it’s not only people with health problems who reap the benefits. Family members and friends who sit in on animal visits say they feel better, too.
Pet therapy is also being used in nonmedical settings, such as universities and community programs, to help people deal with anxiety and stress(mayoclinic, 2020).
- What information had the greatest impact on you? Explain.
The information that caught my attention was that ” Apparently all kinds of people with dogs showed up. I am talking about a particular group of “Out-of-Towners” who flew into NY with their dogs. Being careless dog handlers, their dogs were drinking some of the contaminated water. This incident stopped the dogs from being allowed to work at Ground Zero” ( tdi, 2021). This really touched me as when people needed the dogs the most to help them heal and calm them down they couldn’t have access to them due to their owners being careless and not following the protocols.
