Mental Health Concerns from Wildfire Smoke
Mental-health experts are sounding the alarm about “fire brain” – a condition caused by exposure to toxic wildfire smoke. One study found that wildfire smoke can cause brain inflammation that lasts for a month.
Suzie Dukes, a survivor of the Paradise Fire, explains the ongoing trauma faced by communities affected by wildfires. The massive Park Fire is re-traumatizing those already devastated by the Camp Fire in 2018.
“People are in kind of a constant state of stress afterward, the feeling of being out of control, unable to prevent anything, and this deep-seated fear of losing yet again, more things. The Park Fire is triggering PTSD symptoms all over again,” she said.
Impact on Dementia Risk
A study released at the Alzheimer’s Association conference found that exposure to wildfire smoke can increase the risk of being diagnosed with dementia.
Families in need of mental-health assistance can call the California Parent and Youth Helpline at 1-855-427-2736 or visit CA Parent Youth Helpline.org for support.
Importance of Community Support
“Reaching out and feeling like you belong to a community is essential in healing. Calling a helpline can be a way out of the terror, because the human touch is essential in being able to reconnect and get your feet under you again,” Dukes emphasized.
Parents Anonymous, which operates the helpline, also offers free weekly support groups.
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