What you Need to Know about the Stages of Disaster Recovery
One Year Later: What the Stages of Disaster Recovery Model can help us Understand about the collective trauma of the COVID 19 pandemic.
Based on Zunin & Myers Stages of Disaster Recovery Model.
Keeping in mind that this model is based on research from community recovery and rebuilding following natural disasters such as fire, floods, tornadoes, etc. This is the first time we have experienced a global pandemic of this magnetite for most of our lifetimes. Therefore, we may be cycling through phases of the model and we are not fully past the impact stage of the disaster while we are also deeply feeling a sense of collective disillusionment.
So many of us are feeling like this will never end and may never get better. I wanted to share this model to highlight that it is normal and expected for emotional to be at an all time low during the phase of disillusionment (one year into the pandemic and with the third wave hitting this is where we have been for the last while). We may not know how long it will last but do know that after disillusionment will come reconstruction. There will be light again at the end of this phase.
Image from : https://www.samhsa.gov/dtac/recovering-disasters/phases-disaster
Phase 1: Pre-Disaster is marked by fear and uncertainty. The length of this phase depends on the type of disaster and how much notice there is to prepare. For the COVID pandemic, this phase was marked by panic buying of supplies, preparing for the unknown/the worse, fear and uncertainty and not knowing what to expect.
Phase 2: The Impact Phase: This phase is marked my intense emotional reactions and again depends on the type of disaster. Emotional reactions can range from shock and panic to denial and disbelief. This is often followed by a focus on self-preservation and protection of family/loved ones.This phase is generally the shortest.
Phase 3: Heroic Phase: Often marked by high levels of activity (yet low levels of productivity). Community members often rally to action & sense of altruism is high. This high energy, helping phase often quickly passes into the next phase.
Phase 4: The Honeymoon Phase: There is often a collective dramatic shift in emotion, disaster assistance may be readily available, Community bonding occurs. There is optimism that things will return to normal quickly. In many disasters this phase typically lasts a few weeks.
Phase 5: The Disillusionment Phase: Optimism turns to discouragement. Ongoing stress takes a toll and negative reactions becomes more prevalent (substance abuse, exhaustion, mental health concerns. We are collectively in this phase at the time of this article. It has been over a year and we are into a third wave and increasing restrictions again. Hope is low and a sense of collective low level (or full out) depression is high.
Phase 6: Reconstruction Phase: Overall feelings of recovery. Begin to adjust to new "normal". Begin to rebuild lives while continuing to morn losses. We have not hit reconstruction phase yet but this phase will come. We will have to process our collective grief and to rebuild. The good news is that collective emotions do begin to rise again.
Hold onto hope, do you what need to do to survive this time, take care of yourself as best you can and know that this too shall pass.
