Voices of Wildfire Survivors: Sleep Disturbance Treatment and Post-Traumatic Growth

Abstract

Written accounts of the 1666 Great Fire of London by diarist Samuel Pepys, as well as recent survivors of wildfires in Southern California, document the stressful aftermath of the natural disasters and the development of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in the following months. Their accounts highlight the prominence of sleep disturbance in the etiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Early identification and treatment of insomnia, nightmares, and recurrent distressing dreams could reduce risk for onset of PTSD or severity of symptoms. A review of the literature revealed several evidence-based techniques for treating sleep disturbance in survivors of wildfires and other natural disasters. Survivors who present pre-existing PTSD or develop the disorder in the absence of early intervention may benefit from dreamwork, which takes into account that the threat of loss or devastation of one's home also affects the sense of psychological integrity or identity. The self-organizing and memory consolidation of dreamwork promote recovery from PTSD through dream recording, rescripting, and other benefits of expressive writing. Dreamwork methods facilitate exposure to thoughts and images that contribute to fear conditioning and avoidance. The techniques of dreamwork and evidence-based treatment of sleep disturbance contribute to post-traumatic growth of survivors of wildfires.