Following natural disasters, you may experience high levels of depression, anxiety, stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Dr Timothy Heffernan, an anthropologist from the University of New South Wales, said even after the initial post-traumatic stress symptoms subside, people in disaster-ravaged communities can still experience “maladjustment” and fail to settle back into their everyday lives.

“People don’t adjust back to life that well. They’re kind of a little bit on edge, they’re kind of distrustful, and there are certain other symptoms that come along with that,” Heffernan said.

“Often we think that a disaster is over and within a couple of years people are fine again — but people’s ability to adjust back to a normal life can actually be really impaired.”

Heffernan said intense loneliness, broken social circles and relationship breakdowns can all follow a disaster experience, as well as something called “solastalgia” — the feeling of losing peace with the world around you.

He said connecting with your community and neighbours is fundamental to recovery, where you can lean on others to talk, dissect traumatic events, and recover together.

NSW government officials have also urged those affected to use mental health helplines, which are available 24/7.

“Mental health support is available and there will be disaster recovery clinicians and mental health staff on-site in evacuation centres,” North Coast Minister Rose Jackson said during a press conference in Sydney.

“If you feel distressed or anxious, that is a very normal response to this very distressing situation. Please reach out and chat with someone and talk through how you are feeling. The NSW government really wants the community on the north coast to know … it’s okay to feel stressed and upset and anxious in these circumstances.

“The best thing you can do is make sure that you know you have done everything to prepare and if you need someone to talk to, pick up a phone and have a chat about how you are feeling.”

Readers seeking support with mental health can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. More information is available at 

supports people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.