Expert Says Faith Can Help Florida's Storm Victims Face Aftermath
by Mary Rettig
October 5, 2004
(AgapePress) - In Florida, many storm victims are seeing the past six weeks as one big disaster, and experts say it is no surprise that suicides and domestic violence are on the rise after four hurricanes have pummeled the state.Mental health hotlines in Florida are being jammed by people who are distraught over the damage the storms and flooding have done to their property and their lives. According to Dr. Robert Rogan, a psychiatrist and a spokesman for the Christian Medical Association (CMA), these reactions are the natural result of human nature in the face of disaster. Still, he points out that people do not have to meet desperate circumstances with despair.
"We have two choices when a bad thing happens: we can either run to God, or we can run away from God," Rogan says. "Of course, you'll see the different events that happen. You'll see people helping other people in a certain situations, and yet you'll hear about [others] looting at the same time."
The psychiatrist says Christians facing the aftermath of a disaster can lean on their faith at such times, remembering James 1, which tells believers to "consider it all joy" when they encounter trials and to use them to build character. Also, he adds, even though affected by the hurricane themselves, Christians can use their faith to comfort distraught Floridians.
Believers can help their fellow disaster victims, Rogan says, either in person or through their prayers. "But the key thing," he adds, "is to be very supportive of those people and realize that the whole world hasn't suddenly gone negative -- that this is just a localized short-term phenomenon -- and just give them perspective that life is a long-run thing, not a short-run thing."
The CMA spokesman notes that a Christian's biblical perspective is sorely needed in times of distress and despair. "We can see many times that it's just by comforting and getting someone through this, with the comfort with which God has comforted us," he says, "that we're much more able to deal with things ourselves."
The CMA provides resources, networking opportunities, education, and a public voice for Christian healthcare professionals and students. The organization also works to advance biblical principles in bioethics and health to the Church and society, even as it equips Christian physicians to influence their families, colleagues, and communities for Christ.
