{"id":33729,"date":"2019-05-15T22:07:17","date_gmt":"2019-05-16T02:07:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cosmicconvergence.org\/?p=33729"},"modified":"2019-05-16T10:18:29","modified_gmt":"2019-05-16T14:18:29","slug":"florida-panhandle-devastated-by-worst-hurricane-on-record-to-hit-u-s-why-did-it-take-7-months-for-federal-disaster-relief-aid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cosmicconvergence.org\/?p=33729","title":{"rendered":"FLORIDA PANHANDLE DEVASTATED BY WORST HURRICANE ON RECORD TO HIT U.S.—Why did it take 7 months for federal disaster relief aid? Why was Michael classified a Cat 4 when it was clearly a Cat 5?"},"content":{"rendered":"

North Florida Grapples With An Emerging, Hurricane-Induced Mental Health Crisis<\/h1>\n

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By MORGAN MARTIN
\nHealth News Florida<\/p>\n

Originally published on May 10, 2019 5:56 pm<\/div>\n
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A destroyed Business<\/div>\n
CREDIT MORGAN MARTIN<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Many Hurricane Michael victims are still feeling the effects of the storm. It not only caused physical damage to the area, but has left scars on the hearts and minds of survivors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Smiling To Hide The Pain<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Panama City, an abandoned shopping plaza lies in ruins, its plaster fa\u00e7ade on the ground. The metro PCS store at the end of it, is crumpled, as if a bulldozer ran into it. Next door is a small key-making shop. Inside is Judy Woodruff \u2013 the bookkeeper at Panhandle key and safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though people want to act like [they’re] ‘850 Strong’ and this, that and the other. But there\u2019s<\/p>\n

probably not too many of us that don\u2019t cry every day because of what has happened,” she says. “When you live in a place that\u2019s beautiful as it is, and then wake up to a place that looks like it\u2019s been bombed, it’s really really, sad when [there are] no trees and most buildings are down.”<\/p>\n

In the heart of Panama City homes, businesses and churches damaged by the storm are still waiting on repairs. That\u2019s not the only damage the storm caused.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em>We\u2019ve seen a lot of anxiety that sort of thing and but we also depression, PTSD,” <\/em>says Mike Barbour, the Assistant Administrator at the Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital in Panama City. It recently reopened, and in the short time it’s been operational, Barbour says he’s treated active military servicemen and women, and other adults trying to cope in the aftermath of the storm.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em>We have only one wing renovated right now that\u2019s safe to admit patients and that is split between military patients and active treatment people who are adults the people who need active treatment for their issues\u201d, <\/em>he says.<\/p>\n