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With the understanding and the support of loved ones, the stress reactions usually pass more quickly.
| FOR YOURSELF |
FOR FAMILY MEMBERS & FRIENDS |
- Try to rest a bit more.
- Contact friends.
- Have someone stay with you for at least a few hours or periods of a day or so.
- Recurring thoughts, dreams, or flashbacks are normal-don't try to fight them-they'll decrease over time and become less painful.
- Maintain as normal a schedule as possible.
- Eat well-balanced and regular meals (even when you don't feel like it).
- Try to keep a reasonable level of activity.
- Fight against boredom.¨ Physical activity is often helpful.
- Express your feelings as they arise.
- Talk to people you trust.
- Recognize how stress is impacting your life and others around you.
- Find a good counselor if the feelings become prolonged or become too intense.
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- Listen carefully.
- Spend time with the traumatized person.
- Offer your assistance and a listening ear even if they have not asked for help.
- Help them with everyday tasks like cleaning, cooking, caring for the family, minding children.
- Give them some private time.
- Don't take their anger or other feelings personally.
- Don't tell them that they are "lucky it wasn't worse" - traumatized people are not consoled by those statements. Instead, tell them that you are sorry such an event has occurred and you want to understand and to assist them.
- Seek support and comfort for yourselves. Traumatic events can have significant impact on the families/close friends/co-workers.
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Occasionally the traumatic event is so painful that professional assistance is indicated. This does not imply weakness or abnormality. It simply indicates that the particular traumatic event was just too powerful for the person to manage by himself or herself at that time. Contact your Mental Health Services, local clergy or company/community resources to listen and assist you in contacting the appropriate professional agency.
COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
OF A TRAUMATIC STRESS REACTION
PHYSICAL
- Nausea
- Upset stomach
- Tremors (lips, hands)
- Feeling uncoordinated
- Profuse sweating
- Chills¨ Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Chest pain (should be checked at hospital)
- Rapid heart beat
- Increased blood pressure
- Sleep disturbance
- Rapid breathing
- Head and muscle aches
THINKING
- Slowed thinking
- Difficulty making decisions
- Difficulty in problem-solving
- Confusion
- Difficulty calculating¨ Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Difficulty naming common objects
- Distressing dreams
- Seeing the object over and over
- Poor attention span
- Disruption in logical thinking¨ Blaming someone or oneself
- Disbelief
- Belief systems are challenged
- Surfacing of past personal trauma
EMOTIONAL
- Anticipatory anxiety
- Fear
- Guilt
- Grief
- Denial
- Depression/sadness
- Feeling lost/abandoned
- Feeling numb
- Feeling isolated
- Worry about others
- Wanting to hide
- Wanting to limit contact with others
- Anger, irritability
- Feeling hopeless/overwhelmed
BEHAVIORAL
- Significant change in speech patterns
- Excessive anger/humor/silence
- Crying spells
- Extreme hyperactivity
- Change in activity
- Lack of energy and tired
- Withdrawal/suspiciousness
- Increase conflict between people
- Change in communications /interactions with others
- Increased or decreased food intake
- Increased smoking/alcohol intake
- Overly vigilante to environment
- Unusual behavior
Related Information
Masa Consulting, Inc. |
13033 Ridgedale Drive Suite 112,
Minneapolis, MN 55305
952-922-0422 |
952-922-0421 fax |
jonathan@masaconsulting.com
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