Overcoming a tragedy in your home is a difficult process. Whether there’s a flood, a fire, or a sewer back-up, not only will the damage itself be frustrating, it has the potential to be emotionally scarring.
There are various causes of a home tragedy. A sewer backup can send sewage into your home, coating your basement with harmful bacteria. Your pipes can freeze and burst, destroying your walls and wrecking furniture. A flood can turn your home into a personal swimming pool, and the flames of a fire can turn your items to charred remnants of what they once were. Losing your home in a fire is a whole new level of distress. Not only will you have to deal with the loss of important items, but you’ll also need to evacuate. You’ll also have to find a place to relocate and decide whether or not you’ll rebuild or move somewhere else. Each tragedy is unique, and everyone will react differently.
Your home is your safe place. It provides comfort and security. There’s a reason they say, “There’s no place like home.” A home tragedy takes away that sense of comfort and security. It isn’t uncommon for individuals who experience a home tragedy to go through the traditional stages of recovering from a tragedy and trying to adjust. Those stages include shock, anger, depression, and hopelessness before moving on to acceptance. Eventually, individuals are able to move past negative feelings and regain a sense of safety and comfort in their home, but it may take some time.
When a home tragedy occurs, your sense of normalcy is interrupted. Your daily routines have to adjust. It can be very jarring. The road to recovery and coping involves reestablishing a new sense of normalcy. You have to focus on healing and self-care. Allow yourself to feel upset, sad, frustrated, and whatever else you might be feeling. Also allow yourself to feel happy; even though you are working through a difficult period in your life, you are allowed to experience joy during happy moments. Focus on stress relieving activities, whether that means exercising, listening to music, or engaging in your favorite activity. Start to make small decisions that will make you feel more in control of your life again, but avoid making major life decisions that may increase your stress level. Reach out to your friends and family for support, and talk about the tragedy in order to work through your feelings. Remember that even though something bad has happened, there are still good things in your life.
If you have children who have also experienced the home tragedy, they may react differently. They may have anxiety or nightmares. They will look to you as an example of how to handle the trauma. If you cope successfully, you will act as a positive role model for your children. Encourage them to talk about their fears and anxieties, whether it be with you or a licensed professional.
At Royal Renovations, we understand how devastating a home tragedy can be. We will be there for you in your time of need, and treat your items and home with the utmost care—whatever your home emergency.