Following a traumatic event, people typically describe feeling
things like relief to be alive, followed by stress, fear, and
anger. They also often find they are unable to stop thinking
about what happened. Having stress reactions is what happens to
most people and has nothing to do with personal weakness. Many
will also exhibit high levels of arousal. For most, if the
following symptoms occur, they will slowly decrease over
time.
Remember that most trauma survivors (including veterans,
children, disaster rescue or relief workers) experience common
stress reactions. Understanding what is happening when you or
someone you know reacts to a traumatic event will help you be
less fearful and better able to handle things. These reactions
may last for several days or even a few weeks and may
include:
Feeling hopeless about the future & detached or
unconcerned about others
Having trouble concentrating, indecisiveness
Jumpy & startle easily at sudden noise
On guard and constantly alert
Having disturbing dreams/memories or flashbacks
Work or school problems
You may also experience more physical reactions such as:
Stomach upset, trouble eating
Trouble sleeping & exhaustion
Pounding heart, rapid breathing, edginess
Severe headache if thinking of the event, sweating
Failure to engage in exercise, diet, safe sex, regular
health care
Excess smoking, alcohol, drugs, food
Worsening of chronic medical problems
Or have more emotional troubles such as:
Feeling nervous, helpless, fearful, sad
Feeling shock, numb, unable to experience love or joy
Avoiding people, places, and things related to the
event
Being irritable or outbursts of anger
Becoming easily upset or agitated
Self-blame or negative views of oneself or the world
Distrust of others, conflict, being over controlling
Withdrawal, feeling rejected or abandoned
Loss of intimacy or feeling detached
Use your personal support systems, family and friends, when
you are ready to talk. Recovery is an ongoing gradual process. It
doesn't happen through suddenly being "cured" and
it doesn't mean that you will forget what happened. For
most, fear, anxiety, remembering, efforts to avoid reminders, and
arousal symptoms, if present, will gradually decrease over time.
Most people will recover from trauma naturally. If your emotional
reactions are getting in the way of your relationships, work, or
other important activities you may want to talk to a counselor or
your doctor. Good treatments are available.
Common problems that can occur
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): PTSD is a condition
that can develop after someone has experienced a life-threatening
situation. People with PTSD often can't stop thinking
about what happened to them. They may try to avoid people
and places that remind them of the trauma and may work hard to
push thoughts of the event out of their head. Feeling numb
is another common reaction. Finally, people find that they
have trouble relaxing. They startle easily and are often
on guard.
Depression: Depression involves feeling down or sad
more days than not, and losing interest in activities that used
to be enjoyable or fun. You may feel low in energy and be overly
tired. People may feel hopelessness or despair, or feeling
that things will never get better. Depression may be especially
likely when a person experiences losses such as the death of
close friends. This sometimes leads a depressed person to think
about hurting or killing him or herself. Because of this, it is
important to get help.
Self-blame, guilt and shame: Sometimes in trying to make
sense of a traumatic event, people take too much responsibility
for bad things that happened, for what they did or did not do, or
for surviving when others didn't. Remember, we all
tend to be our own worst critics and that guilt, shame and
self-blame are usually unjustified.
Suicidal thoughts: Trauma and personal loss, can
lead a depressed person to think about hurting or killing
themselves. If you think someone you know may be feeling
suicidal, you should directly ask them. You will NOT put the idea
in their head. If they have a plan to hurt themselves and
the means to do it, and cannot make a contract with you to stay
safe, try to get them to a counselor or call 911 immediately.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Anger or aggressive behavior: Trauma can be
connected with anger in many ways. After a trauma people
often feel that the situation was unfair or unjust. They
can't comprehend why the event has happened and why it has
happened to them. These thoughts can result in intense
anger. Although anger is a natural and healthy emotion,
intense feelings of anger and aggressive behavior can cause
relationship and job problems, and loss of friendships. If
people become violent when angry, this can just make the
situation worse as people can become injured and there may be
legal consequences.
Alcohol/Drug abuse: Drinking or
"self-medicating" with drugs is a common way many cope
with upsetting events to numb themselves and to try to deal with
the difficult thoughts, feelings, and memories related to the
trauma. While this may offer a quick solution, it can
actually lead to more problems. If someone close begins to lose
control of drinking or drug use, it is important to assist them
in getting appropriate care.
Recovery
Immediately following a trauma, almost everyone will find
themselves unable to stop thinking about what happened.
Many will also exhibit high levels of arousal. For most,
fear, anxiety, remembering, efforts to avoid reminders, and
arousal symptoms, if present, will gradually decrease over time.
Use your personal support systems, family and friends, when you
are ready to talk. Recovery is an ongoing gradual process. It
doesn't happen through suddenly being "cured" and
it doesn't mean that you will forget what happened.
But, most people will recover from trauma naturally over
time. If your emotional reactions are getting in the way of
your relationships, work, or other important activities you may
want to talk to a counselor or your doctor. Good treatments
are available.