{"id":600735,"date":"2026-04-23T02:10:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T02:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/600735\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T02:10:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T02:10:17","slug":"hidden-mental-health-impact-after-storms-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/600735\/","title":{"rendered":"Hidden mental health impact after storms | News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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There has been recovery and relief efforts across the island following recent storms, but there\u2019s another impact that isn\u2019t as visible. The mental health toll from this devastation is something experts say could affect many people in the weeks and months ahead.<\/p>\n


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HONOLULU (Island News) —\u00a0The physical damage from the recent storms is easy to see\u2026<\/p>\n

But the emotional toll is often harder to recognize.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe learned a lot from the Maui fires, and it was a big tragedy. And we noticed that a lot of people who struggled with that, they didn’t see symptoms right away,\u201d said Kumi Macdonald, the Executive Director at NAMI Hawaii<\/p>\n

Mental health professionals fear a similar outcome in weeks and months following the historic flooding.<\/p>\n

“We did see a little bit of an uptick in asking for help,\u201d said Macdonald.<\/p>\n

She continued, \u201cWhat we’ve noticed is that a lot of people who have the fires, who experience that, and then they experience the heavy rains. It retriggered some of the old memories of the trauma.\u201d<\/p>\n

That trauma can look different for everyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe noticed that some people are being more aware that they have a lot more anxiety, they’re having a lot less sleep. They’re a little bit more agitated,\u201d said Macdonald.<\/p>\n

And it’s not just adults.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere’s a lot of high emotions. There are even some signs of PTSD; when any type of rain falls, there are kids saying, ‘Mom, I think we need to go.’ And these are young children, so there are going to be some long-term effects,\u201d said Joey Cadiz, a kalo farmer.<\/p>\n

Experts said repeated disasters can compound stress, especially for those already under pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Kona Low storms, that’s an acute stressor on top of the chronic burden and stressors that they’re already having to navigate through. So it’s just compounding and making it so much more challenging for our farmers and agriculture producers or ranchers or fisheries,\u201d said Thao Le, a professor at the University of Hawaii, Department of Family Consumer Sciences.<\/p>\n

And the warning signs aren’t always obvious.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnything excessive, that’s what you’re going to be looking for, something out of the ordinary. So if you’re excessively eating or excessively not eating, if you’re excessively worried, excessively sad or even excessively happy, anything of excess, something that’s out of the ordinary,\u201d said Macdonald.<\/p>\n

But support systems can make all the difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we go through a traumatic experience, if we have support, if we have somebody near us, it doesn’t affect us as much, or sometimes it doesn’t even stick with us as a trauma, you know, just a distant memory,\u201d said Macdonald.<\/p>\n

Because for many, the hardest moments haven’t come yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now, they’re just trying to survive. They’re trying to clean up, trying to get their life back on track, and when things get kind of normalized, that’s sometimes when it pops up. So it could be several months to half a year, but we know that people are struggling,\u201d said Macdonald.<\/p>\n

And as simple as it sounds, reaching out matters.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you’re not feeling well, go to your friend, go to a counselor, if you have one, talk to your teacher, talk to your parents, your community,\u201d said Macdonald.<\/p>\n

Because sometimes, even the sound of rain can bring it all back.<\/p>\n

If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text 988 for support.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


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