Do you now feel anxious as windstorms howl? That's normal

Following a major storm such as Fiona, it is normal to feel anxious when the next strong wind strikes, but it is important to seek help if those feelings are interfering with your daily life, says a psychologist.

Post-tropical storm Fiona devastated properties across P.E.I. on Sept. 24 and left tens thousands without electricity for more than a week — some much longer.

With P.E.I. under a wind warning Wednesday night into Thursday morning, it would have been natural for some Islanders to feel anxious, said psychologist Jacqueline Roche.

But while some anxiety is normal under the circumstances, it is important to be aware of whether that anxiety is starting to have an impact on your daily life.

"Trauma and traumatic have become sort of common language that we use to describe really scary or difficult experiences, but post-traumatic stress disorder is a bit of a different thing altogether that is really severe, really intense, and really impairing," said Roche.

"We really have to think carefully about when it tips the scales into something that is clinically significant and impairing."

Friends and family can be a guide for when anxiety is getting to be too much, Roche said.

People who find it difficult to get on with their daily tasks should seek the help of a mental health professional, she suggested.

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