More than anything, the message is that what you are experiencing, while very distressing, is most often not a sign that you are going crazy—but rather an indication that you have been through something shocking, terrible and painful. The reactions outlined above are normal.

Rules of thumb - time frames for getting help

You may find it helpful to have some general indicators about when to seek out help:

• If you feel that you need help for your emotional reaction to the trauma, make immediate contact with a service which can provide this help such as our help line on 1800 199 008. In general, it does help to talk to a counsellor or professional.
  
  
• If you feel you can identify with some of the reactions noted on this site but you also feel that you are managing, then the following suggestions are made:
  
  
  • If at all worried about yourself or a loved one, don't wait—seek professional help. It is normal for many of the reactions noted on this site to be present for a period of days to weeks and sometimes even a little longer.
  • If you notice as time goes by that your reactions are getting worse, seek help sooner rather than later.
  • If you notice as time passes that your reactions are staying the same and are causing you distress or discomfort, seek help.
  • If you notice that your reactions are improving, you feel increasingly better and you have a good support network around you, you may still wish to contact a help line.
  
  
• If you don't have friends and family to talk to and to support you, if you were injured in the traumatic incident, or if you have had problems coping with stress before this trauma, it is probably important to get help sooner rather than later.

For more information see where to get help