It's Hard to Wind Down

Medical treatments can provide some relief from these reactions. It is important to keep in mind that onset is linked to the traumatic event and that talking it through with someone is the most important step towards finding long-term relief.

Remember:

You may experience some or all of these reactions only occasionally or all the time. In all instances, the signs tell you that nature’s healing ways are at work helping you adjust to what happened. Typical reactions start to lessen within a week or so, before fading away altogether over a longer period of time. If they do not, then it is important that you should take the initiative and talk to someone about your reaction to extreme stress.

What You Can Do to Help Yourself

Trying some of the following hints may help to alleviate the emotional strain associated with the event.
Try to rest a bit more
Contact friends
Have someone stay with you for at least a few hours or periods of a day
Recurring thoughts, dreams, or flashbacks are normal - do not try to fight them, they will decrease over time and become less painful
Maintain or re-establish as normal a schedule as possible
Eat well-balanced and regular meals even when you do not feel like it
Try to keep a reasonable level of activity
Fight against boredom
Physical activity is often helpful
Talk to people who love you
Express your feelings as they arise
Make sure you know what did happen rather than rely on what you think has happened
Try to think of other things, keep busy and try to be helpful to others
Think of the meaning of life following the event and continue to make plans for the future
Avoid bottling up your emotions, let yourself experience the feelings you have about what happened and talk to others about it
Find a good counsellor if the feelings become prolonged or too intense.
Accidents are more likely to happen after stress.You need to be especially careful whilst at work and around the home and also when driving

Some of these ways of helping yourself appear to contradict one another, but you need to find time and place for both!

It will take time to come to terms with your experience.

Healing requires time.