Q&A about Trauma
Q. What is a traumatic event?
A. A traumatic event is defined as an event outside the realm of normal human experience, which overwhelms an individual’s normal coping mechanisms.
Q. What is stress?
A. Stress is a response to a perceived threat, challenge, or change. It is normal to have a response to stress.
Q. What is critical incident stress?
A. Critical Incident Stress is a response to a traumatic event and is manifested by feelings of loss of control and powerlessness that produces various physical, psychological, and social consequences. Also referred to traumatic stress, it does not occur on a daily basis, and can cause social, physical and psychological changes in the traumatized individual.
Q. What is the difference between critical incident stress and everyday stress?
A. Critical incident stress differs in that:
- It has a sudden, unexpected onset
- It is outside the realm of normal human experience
- It is often a reminder of one’s own mortality
- It causes significant changes in people’s lives
Q. What are the five domains of critical incident stress?
A. Critical incident stress can cause a variety of symptoms that vary from person to person. The five domains of stress are as follows:
- Cognitive: forgetfulness, blaming, poor concentration, mental blocks, feeling our of control
- Behavioral: procrastination, sleep and eating disturbances, accident prone, restlessness, poor productivity
- Psychological: anxiety, fear, boredom, depression, fatigue, apathy, aggression, irritability, bad temper
- Physical: tightness in chest, increased heart rate, trembling, nausea, susceptibility to minor illness
- Spiritual: questioning faith, stop practicing faith, new found faith, anger at God
Q. What are the most common reactions to traumatic events?
A. Everybody responds to traumatic events differently and most reactions are normal. However, some of the more common responses include:
- Fear about the traumatic event happening again
- Sadness caused by things which remind that person of the event
- Concentration and memory difficulties
- Flashbacks of the event
- Mood swings
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feeling depressed or detached from others
- Changes in appetite or eating patterns
- Lack of patience, angry feelings, or short temper
- Low interest in important activities such as work, school, or family
Q. What symptoms do children frequently display after traumatic events?
A. Common symptoms in children include the following:
- Fear
- Nightmares
- Acting out with anger or hostility
- Reluctance to go to school
- Bodily symptoms such as stomachaches or headaches
- Phobias (fear of being outside or alone, for examples)
- Bedwetting, loss of toileting skills, thumbsucking, or regression to other younger behaviors
- Reluctance to eat, or hoarding of food
- Guilt and feelings that the event was their fault
Q. What symptoms are not normal for people to be experiencing after a traumatic event?
A. As mentioned above, different people experience different symptoms after a traumatic event. Most symptoms are completely normal and will dissipate over time. However, the following symptoms are not normal and should not be ignored:
- Thoughts about suicide or otherwise harming oneself
- Thoughts and intent to harm somebody else
- Severe medical distress (inability to breath, chest pain, etc.)
Individuals experiencing these types of symptoms should seek
immediate
medical or psychological assistance.
Q. What can one expect in the recovery from a traumatic event?
A. It is important to know that people can get better over time. Occurrences such as birthdays, holidays, or the anniversary of the event often slow down the recovery process. Others who have been affected by the experience will probably have similar reactions. Talking to someone you trust can be helpful.
Q. What can people do to feel better after a traumatic event?
A. There are steps that can be taken that help people to feel better after a traumatic event:
- Eat properly and regularly
- Rest and relaxation
- Exercise
- Speak with friends, family, a counselor, or your church
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