Recovering from any traumatic event is usually a painful process but it is also a natural process. It is understandable to have an intense reaction even if people were only indirectly involved.
People react differently to disaster situations and the way they cope is very personal. Here are some possible reactions they may be feeling.
Shock
- Stunned disbelief and emotional numbness.
- Feel dazed and unable to move. It is not uncommon for them to have difficulty with their memory or feel as if their sense of time is distorted.
- They may even begin to doubt what they saw or that it had any effect on them.
Physical reactions
- May include nausea, pounding heart, trembling and tiredness. Sweating, chills, diarrhoea and dizziness are also possible.
- Head and muscle aches as well as sleeping difficulties and nightmares.
Thinking problems
- They may have problems thinking clearly or remembering simple things.
- They may also feel unable to stop thinking about what happening or keep asking themselves "What if I did something different?" or "What if something else happened?"
- Many people experience anger, anxiety or frustration. They may even find they are avoiding friends and family.
- They may have difficulty understanding what happened or feel an urgent need to talk to others.
Impact
- The full impact of what they experienced often only occurs after the initial shock and denial have subsided.
- They may have constant flashbacks where they keep imagining what happened and even think it is happening again. These experiences can be disturbing and they may think they are going crazy—they are not.
- Over time these reactions should disappear. If they don't, see Where to get help.
Shame or guilt
- It is not uncommon for people to feel ashamed because they appear to be helpless, emotional or needing others.
- They may feel ashamed because they have not reacted to the incident as they would have wished.
- They may even feel guilty for having survived or for not having done enough for the victims of the tragedy.
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