Rebuilding Lives: Psychological Trauma and Growth in the Aftermath of a Catastrophic Australian Bushfire

Abstract

Catastrophic natural disasters such as a 'blow-up' bushfire have the capacity to overwhelm authorities, ambush escape routes for humans and animals trying to flee, and destroy communities in minutes. They are increasing in frequency as the global temperature continues to rise. Despite the physical and material risks, such terrorising events are psychologically confronting and can leave individuals with traumatic distress, even psychopathology. However, little research explores the subjective interpretation of those who have been impacted physically, psychologically and financially by a catastrophic bushfire. The 'lived' experience of six participants was explored and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four themes emerged: surviving the terror; on patrol and guilty; no longer me/no longer us; and personal renaissance; which capture the participants' ongoing trajectory of survival, selfinterrogation, and a search for meaning and reconnection with loved ones and community. However, in the immediate period post-fire, career goals, child/parent relations, intimate relationship, and sense of community belonging were unexpectedly and negatively impacted. New perspectives were forced onto old relationships compelling these individuals to confront 'self'. Complicating recovery was a sense of betrayal at being let down, even abandoned, by first responders. Trust diminished as society quickly lost interest in their plight and it was no longer headline news. This was further compounded when financial reparation proved grossly inadequate. Slowly, acceptance of a lone journey emerged whereby the participants began to redefine life differently, examining prior roles and expectations. This positive shift in interpretation promoted positive change: increased empathy, love, and gratitude. A decade later they were able to identify that trust-in-a-future had re-emerged. This study highlights the complexity of distress and recovery for these participants and suggests community preparation and support, including financial and psychological support, is currently challenged in the aftermath of a threat that is predicted to increase in frequency in many countries.

Short-term psychological outcomes of Australia’s 2019/20 bushfire season.

“…A growing body of scholarly work is investigating the psychological outcomes of direct exposure to bushfire events in Australia preceding the 2019/20 fires (e.g., Bryant et al, 2014Bryant et al, , 2018Bryant et al, , 2020Camilleri et al, 2010;Harms et al, 2018;Hooper et al, 2018;Maybery et al, 2020;McCormack & Sillick, 2017;McFarlane et al, 1997;Pfitzer et al, 2016). Expectedly, a key theme to emerge is that Australians directly affected by bushfires report markedly higher bushfire-related distress several years after the event compared with the general Australian population.…”