Frequently Anxious During Rain or Upon Hearing Disaster News? Psychologist Shares Coping Methods

Feelings of anxiety often emerge among people living in disaster-prone areas, particularly when weather becomes unpredictable or news of disasters surfaces.

Psychologists describe this reaction as normal, as the brain attempts to protect itself from potential dangers.

Danti Wulan Manunggal, a psychologist at Ibunda.id, states that whilst such anxiety cannot always be avoided, it can be managed through appropriate methods.

According to her, understanding the mental responses that arise is an initial step that enables people to become more resilient when facing uncertain situations.

“Facing unpredictable nature is indeed challenging, but understanding that there are mental responses accompanying it is normal and represents the first step towards becoming more resilient,” Danti explained when contacted by Kompas.com on Sunday (8 March 2026).

Simple preparations can help people feel more ready when facing emergency situations.

Danti explained that having an action plan can help reduce feelings of helplessness.

“Psychology proves that having an action plan such as an emergency preparedness kit can reduce feelings of helplessness,” Danti said.

According to her, when someone knows what to do during a disaster, the brain will feel it has control over the situation being faced.

One method that can be employed is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique.

This technique is performed by observing five visible objects, four objects that can be touched, three sounds that can be heard, two things that can be smelled, and one sensation that is felt.

According to Danti, this technique helps redirect the brain’s attention back to the present situation, rather than on possible negative outcomes that may occur in the future.