By the time that this blog is published, Hurricane Ian will have already made impact on Florida and thus, many of my friends and colleagues who live in the state.
I gotta tell you that this is a storm that impacts me not just on that level. One of the areas that right in the storm’s path is Sanibel Island and I can’t stop thinking about what is going through right now wondering what was going to be left standing when all was said and done.
Sure, I am very well aware that Florida is very much used to hurricanes, but either way, it can be very upsetting to anyone who has a connection with something that is affected by a major storm such as a hurricane. Up here, hurricanes are very sporadic with some storms include Carol in 1954, Gloria in 1985, Bob in 1991, Irene in 2011, Sandy in 2012 and most recently, Henri in 2021.
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But when it comes to hurricanes or any other natural disaster or weather related event, what goes through the mind of a neurodiverse individual is almost the equivalent of a sensory overload. So much is racing through your mind such as whether you are going to survive, whether your home is going to be left standing in the end or whether life as you know it will change in a rapid manner.
However, just yesterday I had consulted with one of my followers who lives in Pinellas County and I gave her some sound advice. The advice I gave her is to try and take your mind off of the storm as much as possible. Play board games, don’t watch the news media (of which you shouldn’t be doing anyway if you have mental health issues) or just read a good book.
It also helps to have a fully charged portable DVD or Blu Ray player to watch movies or tv shows on. A few times, I had to resort to using a portable DVD/Blu Ray player when I lost power in a storm or by any other strange occurrence. All these can be helpful tools to help not just your neurodiverse loved one, but yourself as well get through a hurricane.
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Remember also that you may also be out of power for a good number of days such as what happened to me and my folks after Irene in 2011. We had no power for 5 days and as a result, we ended up getting a generator that we use to this very day.
Yes, it’s an inconvenience, but I like to think of it as a sign to really think about what I am grateful for and that is being around family and friends who are riding out the situation with you. Sometimes, I think God creates these situations to test our resolve and I think that’s what is happening right now with Ian.
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Catch you all later!!
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