Dealing with a traumatic event
By Carol R. Ferguson
© 2001 TOWHEY Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. For reprint permission contact info@towhey.com.
When I woke up on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, I had no premonition, no uncanny feeling that my world would change forever.
I sat transfixed to the television and watched the horrific events of the day unfold in New York city and Washington DC and felt the terror of what I was witnessing as it seeped through my body... my eyes almost not allowing my consciousness to assimilate the information.
We all react to stressful or traumatic situations and events differently. When we are in the midst of a traumatic event, whether directly or remotely involved, we often do not think clearly about how we are reacting and whether or not our behavior will reduce or increase our stress level in both the short and long term.
It's important to recognize that, while you may not have been physically affected by this violence, or know someone who has been, you have undoubtedly been touched by this unimaginable horror. Normal people will be deeply affected by this event. Don't feel guilty that it's bothering you even though you weren't hurt, involved or related to a victim.
Here are guidelines for managing your recovery in both the short and long term. Specifically:
- Talk about the event with friends and family. Don't bottle up or minimize what has happen to you or what you have experienced.
- Try to keep a normal routine as much as possible. This will assist in rebuilding your sense of security and safety.
- Exercise. Even light exercising will help to reduce the amount of physical stress the body builds up following a crisis, especially immediately following the crisis.
- Reduce your consumption of caffeine and tobacco. Although often the first things people reach for when upset, this is not the time to increase your chemical dependence! These products contain stimulants that can increase anxious behavior.
- Avoid alcohol and drugs. Again, while these substances may be the first things people reach for, they are mood altering depressant chemicals that can impair perception and judgment.
- If you can't sleep, get up and read a book, wash clothes, etc. Don't just lie there and worry about the event, re-playing it over and over.
- Limit your media consumption. While difficult to not do, re-viewing and re-listening to the event re-enforces a sense of insecurity and anxiety.
- If possible continue to eat at your regular meal times, even if you have little (if any) appetite. By eating, we don't mean a candy bar or sweet junk food, which actually causes a "post sugar crash".
These guidelines are just that... guidelines. Everyone reacts to traumatic events differently -- some seem to recover quickly, while others can't regain footing. The number of traumatic events you have experienced in your life can also impact your recovery.
Finally, if you are having difficulty in resolving your reactions to your traumatic event, see your doctor. Yours is a normal reaction to an abnormal situation.
