How to Cope With Trauma

It only takes a matter of seconds for the world to become frightening and dangerous. The trauma of injuries and accidents can be devastating to those injured and the people close to them. There may be the loss of loved ones and friends to cope with and the aftermath of these events can be felt far and wide. Trauma can affect an entire community or just a few but, either way, these effects may change the way of life forever.

Though everyone responds differently, the effects during and after a crisis will be felt by everyone involved. Some feel the effects straight away but others may have a delayed response to the situation. Often, these people are so busy helping others that they appear numb to the experience. They are often seen as brave but may actually be hiding from their own personal trauma and pain. Because of this, they may become the most severely affected of all.

Allowing people, including yourself, to express their feelings in a caring environment is a very positive thing and can ensure that people recover instead of being permanently psychologically disabled. Everyone, both young and old, needs to have their feelings validated.

Some people blame themselves believing that they could somehow have prevented the tragedy. A traumatic experience can shatter people for a long time but there are things that may help. These are listed below:

Don't be afraid to express your feelings and thoughts about the event
Talk with your loved ones;
Contact friends and family for support;
Try not to be alone too much ; and
Keep to a normal routine wherever possible

If you are a friend of someone who is trying to cope with tragedy, there are things you can do that will help:

Listen and give advice only if they ask;
Don't take feelings of anger personally;
Be caring and understanding; and
Reassure them they are okay

Nobody is really prepared for the emotional consequences of violence or other traumatic events. Hence, we feel devastated and overwhelmed when there is a loss of life or serious injury to someone we know. Recognising the common physical and emotional reactions may help to devise a way of coping with them. Some of these symptoms are:

Anger, anxiety and fear;
Depression ;
Emotional numbness ;
Sleeping difficulties;
Nightmares;
Mental exhaustion ;
Poor appetite ;
Reliving traumatic images;
Problems with concentration;
Tendencies of withdrawal or isolation ; and
Fearful of expressing emotion.

If symptoms are significant enough to interfere with your normal functioning or persist for longer than a couple of weeks, you need to seek medical advice. If you cannot get over feelings of guilt, depression, stress or panic and these symptoms become prolonged and extreme, you need to contact a mental health provider for advice.

There are several steps you can take to assist in your recovery:

Take care of yourself, both physically and emotionally;
Maintain regular exercise to increase resistance to stress;
Watch your nutrition;
Ensure you are getting enough sleep;
Avoid overworking;
Don't withdraw from your social life for an extended period;
Talk about the event;
Take time to be by yourself ;
Forgive yourself;
Accept assistance;
Help others;
Don't avoid your feelings; and
Remember to enjoy life.

Grieving takes time but don't allow the process of grief to consume your life entirely. By following the advice above, a healthy balance of normality and grieving can be achieved.

However, if anyone is affected so much by the trauma of the event that they simply cannot return to healthy functioning, then professional assistance must be sought.

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