August 25-27, 2017: HURRICANE HARVEY

Hurricane Harvey struck the Texas Gulf Coast with wind speeds over 58 miles per hour and 50 in. of rain at Bush International Airport. It struck at 10:00 p.m. on August 25th and continued for four days.
Hurricane Harvey displaced more than thirty thousand, killed at least seventy, and caused seventy to one hundred eight billion dollars of damage.
Harris County (the county where Houston is located and the largest in terms of population) and the 3 surrounding counties, which are called the “Golden Triangle” of Houston, are part of the same regional council of governments (“Outside Harris”).
Tens of thousands of people stayed overnight in shelters over the weekend, 9,000 of them in a convention center that was opened for them and hundreds in a private furniture shop.

First month after Harvey, survivors experienced: anxiety, stress, and insomnia that resulted in activated fear and a heightened state of cognitive arousal, which in turn increased the level of physical arousal.
Due to fear, which may affect depression and limit coping abilities, individuals may experience self-criticism, negative attributions, and generalization of problems.
Close to a year after survivors experienced: depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Greater mental health symptoms emerged in individuals with higher personal or property exposure.
Potential exposure to many chemical plants and natural gas and oil refineries as well as anecdotal exposure to mild sewage bacteria has short- and long-term negative effects on mental health. Physical health symptoms were associated with PTSD, which showed the interaction of physical and mental problems caused by exposure to toxins and chemicals.
Evidence existed of cognitive bias because of the odor of chemicals.
Among the individuals who reported a health condition, 20% mentioned mental health issues.
Individuals who live in the Golden Triangle area have reported that their mental health has worsened (33%) and have a hard time managing their tempers (36%).