Major damage to your home, whether from fire, water, storms, or earthquakes, is more than just a problem of dealing with physical issues: clean-up, restoration, the insurance process, etc. It’s a devastating emotional problem—literally “getting hit where you live.” People have their emotions tied up in the place they call “home,” and when that comes under attack from nature, your life can feel out of control.
Our job is to help with all types of home restoration projects, such as water damage and fire damage in Orange County, CA. We hope to make life easier for our clients and lift some of the burden. But we understand how difficult the emotional impact of home damage is for our clients, and we’d like to offer some extra help in this post.
Let’s examine some of the coping strategies to use as you go through the process of restoring your home in the wake of a disaster.
It’s okay not to be okay
A seriously damaged home can trigger many psychological problems: anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder. That’s a tremendous amount to deal with—and we’ll look at ways you can—but at the top it’s important to accept that the situation is tough, and it’s okay not to feel okay. This wasn’t your fault, and you don’t have to send off sunshine vibes all the time. Accepting and validating that grief and pain are part of the process is one of the most helpful first steps.
Get started early on the restoration and focus on outcome
This is where we can be the most help. The sooner you get the restoration process in motion, the sooner you can put your focus on rebuilding rather than mourning the loss. Restoration is about hope and something better coming out on the other side. We’re old pros at this job, and we’ll help guide you through the process and involve you in the decision-making that will give you back a feeling of control.
Seek help and support
The psychological problems we mentioned above aren’t small things, and it’s okay to seek help in dealing with them. This can be in the form of a therapist or doctor. It can also come from your family and friends. Share your feelings with people, talk through what you’re going through. It helps to lift some of the mental burden you feel. Professional therapists can be literal life-savers when a situation starts to feel hopeless. Keep this in mind: You will come through this.
Find a safe space
Your home is your safe space, and now that’s been temporarily taken away. Find another one during the restoration process. This might be in an undamaged part of the house that you can shield off from the damage and give you a physical and mental retreat, a sanctuary.
Practice self-care
The term self-care can be overused, but this is a situation where it completely applies. Look out for yourself, mentally and physically. Keep doing activities that you enjoy, such as going to movies, taking long walks, exercising, playing games. Make sure you continue to eat a healthy, regular diet and that you get enough sleep. If you’re finding these tasks difficult, use your support network and mental health practitioner to get you focused.
For comprehensive home restoration services you can rely on, contact Jarvis Restoration today!