Traumatic experiences such as being held at gunpoint, hi-jacking, accidents, rape and burglaries can shake the foundations of our beliefs about safety, and shatter our assumptions of trust. After a traumatic experience, people may go through a wide range of normal responses and reactions.
Such reactions may be experienced not only by people who experienced the trauma first-hand, but by those who have witnessed or heard about the trauma, or has been involved with those immediately affected as well. Many reactions can be triggered by people, places, or things associated with the traumatic experience. Some reactions may appear totally unrelated.
Here’s a list of some common physical and emotional reactions to trauma, as well as a list of helpful coping strategies. These are all normal reactions to abnormal events.
Physical Reactions
• aches and pains like headaches, backaches and stomach aches.
• sudden sweating and/or heart palpitations (fluttering).
• changes in sleep patterns, appetite and interest in sex.
• constipation or diarrhoea.
• easily startled by noises or an unexpected touch.
• more susceptible to colds, flu and other illnesses.
• increased use of alcohol or drugs and/or overeating.
Emotional Reactions
• shock and disbelief.
• fear and/or anxiety.
• grief, disorientation and denial.
• hyper-alertness or hyper vigilance.
• irritability, restlessness sudden outbursts of anger or rage.
• emotional swings; like crying and then laughing.
• Nightmares.
• flashbacks; feeling like the trauma is busy happening.
• feelings of helplessness, panic and feeling out of control.
• minimizing the experience.
• attempts to avoid anything associated with the traumatic event that took place.
• tendency to isolate oneself.
• concern over burdening others with problems.
• emotional numbing or restricted range of feelings.
• difficulty trusting and/or feelings of betrayal.
• difficulty concentrating or remembering things.
• feelings of self-blame and/or survivor’s guilt.
• diminished interest in everyday activities or depression.
• unpleasant past memories resurfacing.
• suicidal thoughts.
• loss of a sense of order or fairness in the world; expectation of doom and fear of the future.
• anger towards religion or belief systems; loss of belief.
• desire for revenge.
Helpful Coping Strategies
• talk about the traumatic experience with empathic listeners.
• Cry.
• exercise, like jogging, aerobics, bicycling or walking.
• relaxation exercises like yoga, stretching, massage and pilates.
• Bring humour back into your life, laugh.
• prayer and/or meditation; listening to relaxing guided imagery; progressive deep muscle relaxation.
• take hot baths.
• engage in music and art.
• maintain a balanced diet and sleep cycle as much as possible.
• avoid over-using stimulants like caffeine, sugar, or nicotine.
• hug those you love, pets included.
Professional assistance could be of great value in processing trauma constructively. For more information call us on 013 692 3962/3 or 079 660 6699.
