Hawaii residents are worn down emotionally after one storm after another, and mental health workers say the strain is widespread.

• Repeated disasters are leaving people exhausted and on edge, with some close to breaking down.
• Sounds tied to past storms — heavy wind, rain, a siren, or a phone alert — can set off anxiety all over again.
• People say they cannot relax because another storm always seems to be coming.
• Stepping back, finding small moments of joy, and talking to someone are the simplest ways to cope.
• Hawaii Cares offers free help around the clock, every day of the week.

Outlook: With more storms likely, the emotional damage will keep building unless people treat checking in on themselves as part of storm prep.