Recovery is not linear and can take more time than expected
More than a month after the DANA floods swept through Valencia on October 29, killing over 220 people and erasing the daily lives of thousands in a matter of hours, the region faces a second, less visible crisis: the psychological aftermath of collective trauma. Psychologists like María José García Rubio are guiding survivors and distant witnesses alike through the slow, nonlinear work of emotional recovery. Their counsel is ancient in its wisdom — acknowledge what you feel, rest when you must, lean on others, and trust that the path forward, however uncertain, exists.
- More than 220 lives were lost and four people remain missing from the October 29 flooding, leaving entire communities stripped of homes, businesses, and any sense of ordinary life.
- The psychological toll is now surfacing across Spain — not only among direct survivors, but among people who cannot stop consuming the relentless stream of news and images from the disaster.
- Experts warn that suppressing emotions like fear, grief, and anger only deepens their weight over time, while numbness in the immediate aftermath is equally valid and should not be mistaken for indifference.
- Deliberate boundaries around media consumption, structured moments of rest, and community connection are being prescribed as practical tools to prevent emotional overload from becoming chronic distress.
- Free specialized mental health services are now operating in Valencia through organizations like Grupo ASV and Fundación Salud y Personas, offering structured support to those whose symptoms persist or worsen.
More than a month after the DANA floods devastated Valencia on October 29, the destruction remains visible across dozens of towns. Over 220 people died; four are still missing. Thousands lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods in the span of a single day. The physical wreckage is plain to see. The psychological damage is quieter, but no less real.
Psychologist María José García Rubio, who leads a neuroscience and social wellbeing research group at the International University of Valencia, has been helping people navigate this hidden crisis. She stresses that recovery is possible — but it requires deliberate, compassionate effort. The disaster has reached beyond Valencia itself, leaving people across Spain unable to disconnect from the unfolding tragedy.
García Rubio's first counsel is to accept whatever you feel. Fear, sadness, anger, anxiety — these are not signs of weakness but natural responses to overwhelming loss. Some people experience the opposite: emotional numbness. Both are normal. What matters is observing your inner state without judgment, because emotions that go unexamined tend to grow heavier with time.
Recovery is not linear, she reminds us. Unexpected waves of despair can arrive weeks after the initial shock. Self-compassion matters more than speed. One practical step is setting limits on news consumption — checking reliable sources at specific times, then stepping away. Equally important is carving out moments of genuine rest: a walk, a meal, something ordinary that reminds you the world still holds normalcy.
Community is irreplaceable. Connecting with others who share the experience offers both emotional grounding and practical help. Alongside that, basic self-care — sleep, food, movement — keeps the nervous system from remaining locked in crisis. For those whose distress deepens rather than eases, free mental health services are available in Valencia through specialized organizations. García Rubio's message is ultimately one of possibility: even in devastation, relief and wellbeing remain within reach.
More than a month after the DANA floods devastated Valencia on October 29, the wreckage remains visible in dozens of towns across the region. Over 220 people are confirmed dead, with four still missing. Thousands woke up that day to find their homes, businesses, cars, and workplaces simply gone—their lives fundamentally altered in the span of hours. The physical destruction is obvious. The psychological toll, less visible but equally real, is only now becoming clear.
María José García Rubio, a psychologist who leads the neuroscience and social wellbeing research group at the International University of Valencia, has spent the past weeks advising people on how to navigate the mental health crisis that follows such catastrophe. She emphasizes that recovery is not only possible but achievable through deliberate, compassionate steps. The disaster has affected not only those who lost everything directly, but also people across Spain who find themselves unable to stop checking news feeds, unable to disconnect from the unfolding tragedy in Valencia.
The first instinct after trauma, García Rubio explains, is often to feel everything at once—fear, sadness, anxiety, anger. These emotions are not signs of weakness or dysfunction. They are the mind's natural response to an overwhelming event. The critical step is to acknowledge what you're feeling rather than push it away. Some people, she notes, experience the opposite response: numbness, a kind of emotional flatness in the immediate aftermath. This too is normal. There is no single correct way to grieve. What matters is recognizing your own emotional landscape without judgment, because emotions left unexamined have a way of intensifying over time, becoming a heavier burden than they need to be.
Recovery is not linear. The first days are often the most emotionally intense, García Rubio says, but the weeks that follow can bring unexpected waves of despair or disorientation. People should not pressure themselves to "feel better" on any particular timeline. Small steps count. Self-compassion matters more than speed. When negative thoughts arise—and they will—the practice is to observe them without harsh self-judgment. The mind will offer you criticism; the work is learning not to believe it.
One practical strategy is to establish boundaries around news consumption. While staying informed is important, the constant stream of updates and images can amplify anxiety rather than help it. García Rubio recommends setting specific times to check reliable sources, then stepping away. Equally important is building moments of genuine rest into each day—time to walk, to read, to do ordinary things that remind you the world still contains normalcy. These breaks are not avoidance; they are necessary relief valves that prevent emotional overload.
Community becomes essential in ways that solitude cannot replicate. Connecting with others who have experienced similar loss provides both emotional support and practical help—assistance with basic needs, guidance through bureaucratic processes, a sense of belonging that isolation erases. At the same time, individual self-care routines—adequate sleep, regular meals, some form of movement—help keep the nervous system from remaining in constant crisis mode.
For those whose symptoms do not ease with time, or whose distress actually worsens, professional help is not a failure but a necessary tool. The Valencia region has established free mental health services specifically for disaster victims, including organizations like Grupo ASV and Fundación Salud y Personas, which offer specialized strategies for emotional management. García Rubio's final message is clear: the path forward exists. Even in the midst of devastation, relief and wellbeing are possible. The work of recovery begins with accepting what has happened and what you feel about it, then taking one deliberate step forward.
Citações Notáveis
These emotions are natural responses to a stressful experience and should not be suppressed— María José García Rubio, psychologist at International University of Valencia
Recovery is possible through self-care, social support, and emotional management strategies, even in the midst of adversity— María José García Rubio
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
When you say emotions shouldn't be repressed, what happens if someone just tries to push through and act normal?
The emotions don't disappear. They go underground and often come back stronger—as anxiety, physical symptoms, or a kind of emotional numbness that makes it hard to connect with anything. Acknowledging what you feel, even if it's messy, actually helps it move through you.
But doesn't constantly thinking about the disaster make it worse?
There's a difference between processing and ruminating. Some reflection is necessary. But yes, if you're refreshing news feeds every five minutes, you're feeding the anxiety rather than healing it. That's why setting boundaries matters—you need both time to feel and time to rest from feeling.
What about people who feel nothing at all right now?
That's actually a protective response. The mind sometimes goes numb when the shock is too large. It doesn't mean something is wrong with them. But eventually, as the initial shock wears off, those feelings usually surface. The key is not to panic when they do.
How long does this actually take?
There's no fixed timeline. The first days are usually the most intense. But recovery can take months or longer, and it's not a straight line. You'll have good days and terrible days. The important thing is not to judge yourself for the pace.
When should someone seek professional help?
If the symptoms aren't improving after a reasonable time, or if they're actually getting worse—if you can't sleep, can't function, feel trapped in despair—that's when professional support becomes essential. There's no shame in that. It's actually the wisest choice.
What gives you hope that people can actually recover from something this devastating?
Because humans are resilient in ways we often underestimate. Community matters. Self-compassion matters. Small steps matter. And the fact that people are asking these questions, seeking guidance, reaching out—that itself is the beginning of recovery.