home » about us » occupational health, safety and welfare » health education and promotion » trauma » emotional effects of trauma
home » about us » occupational health, safety and welfare » health education and promotion » trauma » emotional effects of trauma
Occupational Health, Safety & Welfare
fitness & health for all employees
critical incident support process
ergonomic exercises
stress at work
trauma
critical event - critical incident stress
emotional effects of trauma
it's hard to wind down
when and how to ask for help with trauma
trauma self rating questionnaire
where to find professional help for trauma
assessrite workstation assessment
By their very nature, these events are distressing to everyone and the emotional and physical reactions that follow such events are normally intense. It is considered advantageous to list the possible symptoms, in order that people know the signs to look for in themselves and also in others so that they are in a better position to request or recommend further help if required.
It must be emphasised that each person may well be different and so the following is just a list of possibilities.
Intense feelings of anger may be caused by seemingly minor events. Your sense is of this ‘being out of character’.
Relatives, friends and colleagues may comment on changes in you since the traumatic incident. More constant anger may be felt about the injustice and senselessness of what happened or towards those who appear to have caused or let the event happen.
Crying does help. It is better to express your feelings and emotions than to hold back the tears. (IT’S OKAY TO CRY)
New fears and worries may appear in your life. These may be about going out of doors, being afraid to leave those who you care about most, or being left by them. Other fears centre on breaking down, losing control, having unbearably intense feelings, or worry that the original incident may happen again.
Rather than feeling relieved at having survived the incident when others were injured, it is common to feel guilty.
This takes the form of wondering whether more could have been done to help. You may question why you deserve to have survived when seemingly more deserving people were not so lucky.
A feature of traumatic incidents is that they are overpowering. Such crises draw out the best in us but they can also make us feel powerless by being unable to help.
Traumatic events can change your outlook on life in important ways. Hopes for a better future may be lost or changed with deep disappointment being common.
The strain under which you are placed expresses itself in muscle tension in different parts of your body. This can be accompanied by symptoms ranging from general stiffness and tension, to specific localised pains, headaches, choking sensations in the throat and chest and dizziness.
The shock of an event can leave you feeling numb and emotionally exhausted.
Feelings you used to have may be blocked for a time and your ability to deal with day to day pressures is reduced.
You may want to withdraw from contact with other people, and give up interests, sports and activities you used to enjoy.
All emotional reactions are associated with short or long-term bodily responses such as palpitations of the heart, excessive sweating, mild tremors that may develop into periodic shaking, stomach pains and problems with digestion.
Stresses and strains previously taken as being part of life can appear unbearable to someone who has been through a traumatic incident.
A tendency to withdraw from close contact with relatives, friends and colleagues is often observed, leading to additional personal problems. Relationship difficulties of long standing may get worse along with a growing sense that ‘nobody can possibly understand what I am going through’.
This mistaken view is a major obstacle to seeking help and support at a time of need. Other people are your main source of comfort at a time of crisis.
The impression left by an event may be so strong that it is relived long after it actually happened. Repeated flashbacks, dreams and intrusive recollections are common, as is the re-experiencing of the feelings that surfaced during or after the event.
Sometimes, too, you may suddenly start to feel as if the original event is going to happen again.
Deep feelings of sadness are common, especially when tragic incidents or events have occurred, when someone is seriously injured or extreme damage has been caused.
As well as emotional strain, you may also be affected physically. This may occur very soon after a critical event, but can develop many months later. Some of the common signs are:
All traumatic incidents place intense and prolonged pressure on your body; this does not always stop when an incident is over. Your body may continue to be physically and emotionally over aroused leading to tiredness at first and, later, exhaustion. This may also be coupled with disturbed sleep patterns or you may feel wound up, making it difficult to rest, fall asleep or have peace of mind. Poor memory for events and names goes along with finding it hard to concentrate.
