Common Stress Reactions Following Exposure To Trauma
Psychological and EmotionalInitial euphoria, relief
Guilt about surviving or not having suffered as much as others
Anxiety, fear, insecurity, worry
Pervasive concern about well-being of loved ones
Feelings of helplessness, inadequacy, being overwhelmed
Vulnerability
Loss of sense of power, control, well-being, self-confidence, trust
Shame, anger over vulnerability
Irritability, restlessness, hyperexcitability, impatience, agitation, anger, blaming (anger at source, anger at those exempted, anger at those trying to help, anger “for no apparent reason”)
Outrage, resentment
Frustration
Cynicism, negativity
Mood swings
Despair, grief, sadness
Periods of crying, emotional “attacks” or “pangs”
Feelings of emptiness, loss, hopelessness, depression
Regression
Reawakening of past trauma, painful experiences
Apathy, diminished interest in usual activities
Feelings of isolation, detachment, estrangement, “no one else can understand”
Denial or constriction of feelings; numbness
“Flashbacks,” intrusive memories of the event, illusions, pseudo-hallucinations
Recurrent dreams of the event or other traumas
Cognitive
Poor concentration
Mental confusion, slowness of thinking
Forgetfulness
Amnesia (complete or partial)
Inability to make judgments and decisions
Inability to appreciate importance or meaning of stimuli
Poor judgment
Loss of appropriate sense of reality (denial of reality, fantasies to counteract reality)
Preoccupation with the event
Repetitive, obsessive thoughts and ruminations
Over-generalization, over-association with the event
Loss of objectivity
Rigidity
Confusion regarding religious beliefs/value systems; breakdown of meaning and faith
Self-criticism over things done/not done during trauma
Awareness of own and loved ones’ mortality
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