Surgeon General Returns to Gulf Roots

Surgeon General Regina Benjamin returned to her hometown on the Alabama Gulf Coast to talk about the health risks of the oil disaster.

It was obvious from the reaction of the crowd that Benjamin had been sorely missed, but she told everyone that the most powerful place she can deal with the health effects of the oil spill is Washington D.C.

"Right now I feel like the best place I can be is sitting in those top level conversations making those top level decisions - about where the funding goes, how it goes, how we put things together," said Surgeon General Regina Benjamin.

Doctor Benjamin met with local officials, health workers, and people in the community to share some of the signs and symptoms people could experience during a crisis.

"I learned a lot from them, just by hearing it from their voices," said Dr. Regina Benjamin of people at the community meeting. "Some things we've heard before, secondhand, but it's nothing like hearing it from an individual patient or an individual community member."

People claim to experience stomach aches, headaches, and lack of sleep as just some of the physical symptoms. But the Surgeon General says the biggest concern is the impact on the mental health of the Gulf Coast.

"Some people will take something like that, will talk to their friends or their family, and be sad about it for a bit and bounce back from it," said Benjamin. "Other people may not be able to bounce back, it may trigger a deeper depression, or thoughts of harming themselves or someone else, or turning to alcohol or substance abuse. Things that are more serious, and so those are the people that we have to look out for."

Organizations like AltaPointe are now offering free clinics to victims of the oil spill.

"We have free counseling services for anybody that has been affected by the oil spill," said Sherri Crane, an AltaPointe therapist. "We actually have services for children, adolescents, and adults, we have psychiatric services, and counselors."

There is a booth set up in downtown Bayou La Batre where a counselor can speak with patients for free Monday through Friday 8 a.m. until 4:30.

Surgeon General Regina Benjamin gave the local community some advice on how to stay healthy. "As a community and as friends, just look out for your neighbor, and use some of these resources we're trying to get out to you and let them know that they're available."