When the news will not leave you

In Haiti, the news is not abstract. It can be a street you know, a name you recognize, a night that will not stay in the past. Checking again and again can feel like staying safe, and still leave you more afraid.

Choose when you look

Pick one or two times a day to catch up, then put the phone down. Ask one trusted person what you actually need to know for your family tonight. You are allowed to step back from rumors that you cannot verify and cannot act on.

Come back to the room you are in

After hard news, do one ordinary thing with your full attention: wash a plate, walk to the door and back, drink water slowly. Tell your body where you are right now. If images or sounds keep returning, you are not failing. Your mind is still trying to finish a story that had no ending.

If the news is stealing your sleep or you cannot stop checking, call CIPUH at 2919-9000. You can talk about what you saw without having to be in immediate danger.