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What
is a Traumatic Stress Reaction?
People who experience or witness horrible events
such as school shootings, combat, rape, torture,
natural disasters, accidents or other things
in which their physical safety and life -- or
the safety and life of others -- was in danger
have experienced a traumatic stress. People
who are repeatedly exposed to life or death
situations, such as EMT and rescue squad workers,
police officers, fire fighters and medical personnel
on burn wards or trauma units where stress levels
and mortality rates are high also witness trauma.
Anyone who has experienced these things has
experienced a shock and, even if all ultimately
escape danger, the people who lived through
the event may feel like life “just isn’t
the same anymore.” People may experience
a variety of reactions, many of which are understandable
in the context of experiencing or witnessing
traumatic events such as the hurricanes. Experiencing
physical or emotional symptoms in response to
a traumatic event is normal and is called a
traumatic stress reaction.
Physical Symptoms of Traumatic Stress
Anyone affected by the hurricanes or other
traumatic stress may experience:
· Fatigue
· Being easily startled
· Headaches
· Sweating
· Gastro-intestinal problems
Emotional Symptoms of Traumatic Stress
Those affected by traumatic stress may feel:
· Fear
· Anger
· Guilt
· Anxiety
· Reduced awareness
· Feeling like you are numb or not part
of the world
· Helplessness
· Hopelessness
What is PTSD?
PTSD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
This is similar to a stress reaction and, in
fact, many people who have experienced a traumatic
event do develop PTSD. Those with PTSD may experience
many of the same emotional and physical symptoms
as those with a traumatic stress reaction. Those
with PTSD, however, experience trauma along
with intense fear, helplessness or horror and
then develop intrusive symptoms (such as flashbacks
or nightmares). Their symptoms will last more
than a month and get in the way of normal life.
Traumatic stress is not uncommon. In fact:
· About 70 % of U.S. adults have experienced
a severe traumatic event at least once in their
life and one out of five go on to develop symptoms
of PTSD
· Approximately 8% of all adults have
suffered from PTSD at any one time
· If you include children and teens,
an estimated 5% of all Americans will develop
PTSD during their lifetime or more than 13 million
people
· About one in 10 women will develop
PTSD symptoms during their lifetime or double
the rate for men because they are much more
likely to be victims of domestic violence, rape
or abuse.
· Almost 17% of men and 13% of women
have experienced more than three traumatic events
during their life.
The Mind/Body Connection
Suffering traumatic stress can affect your
emotions as well as your body and the two are
so connected that it can be hard to tell the
difference. For instance, traumatic stress can
cause you to lose concentration, forget things,
or have trouble sleeping. It may be difficult
to determine on your own whether these symptoms
are because you do not feel well physically
or because you are still upset. Traumatic stress
also can lead you to eat in unhealthy ways or
to eat foods that are not healthy, and those
eating patterns can affect how you sleep or
how your stomach feels. Stress can cause headaches,
but the pain from the headaches can also make
your stress worsen.
Because the body and the mind work in concert,
traumatic stress can cause a cycle that makes
it seem like the body and mind are working against
one another, worsening symptoms like pain and
fatigue.
Coping with Traumatic Stress
There are things you can do to help yourself
if you have suffered traumatic stress as a result
of an event such as a school shooting.
- Give yourself time to heal. Anticipate that
this will be a difficult time in your life.
Allow yourself to mourn the losses you have
experienced. Try to be patient with changes
in your emotional state.
- Ask for support from people who care about
you and who will listen and empathize with your
situation. But keep in mind that your typical
support system may be weakened if those who
are close to you also have experienced or witnessed
the trauma.
- Communicate your experience in whatever ways
feel comfortable to you - such as by talking
with family or close friends, or keeping a diary.
- Find out about local support groups that often
are available such as for those who have suffered
from natural disasters. These can be especially
helpful for people with limited personal support
systems.
- Try to find groups led by appropriately trained
and experienced professionals such as psychologists.
Group discussion can help people realize that
other individuals in the same circumstances
often have similar reactions and emotions.
- Engage in healthy behaviors to enhance your
ability to cope with excessive stress. Eat well-balanced
meals and get plenty of rest. If you experience
ongoing difficulties with sleep, you may be
able to find some relief through relaxation
techniques. Avoid alcohol and drugs.
- Establish or reestablish routines such as
eating meals at regular times and following
an exercise program. This can be especially
important when the normal routines of daily
life are disrupted. Even if you are in a shelter
and unable to return home, establish routines
that can bring comfort. Take some time off from
the demands of daily life by pursuing hobbies
or other enjoyable activities.
--Help those you can. Helping others, even during
your own time of distress, can give you a sense
of control and can make you feel better about
yourself.
- Avoid major life decisions such as switching
careers or jobs if possible because these activities
tend to be highly stressful.
When Should I Seek Professional Help?
Many people are able to cope effectively with
the emotional and physical demands brought about
by a natural disaster by using their own support
systems. It is not unusual, however, to find
that serious problems persist and continue to
interfere with daily living. For example, some
may feel overwhelming nervousness or lingering
sadness that adversely affects job performance
and interpersonal relationships.
Individuals with prolonged reactions that disrupt
their daily functioning should consult with
a trained and experienced mental health professional.
Psychologists and other appropriate mental health
providers help educate people about common responses
to extreme stress. These professionals work
with individuals affected by trauma to help
them find constructive ways of dealing with
the emotional impact.
With children, continual and aggressive emotional
outbursts, serious problems at school, preoccupation
with the traumatic event, continued and extreme
withdrawal, and other signs of intense anxiety
or emotional difficulties all point to the need
for professional assistance. A qualified mental
health professional such as a psychologist can
help such children and their parents understand
and deal with thoughts, feelings and behaviors
that result from trauma.
APA is grateful to Paul J. Rosch, M.D.. President,
The American Institute of Stress, for his help
in developing this fact sheet.
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