Effects of Traumatic Incidents
Trauma is any type of distressing event or experience that can have an impact on a person's ability to cope and function. Many people will experience some kind of traumatic event at some point in their lifetime, and everyone's response to a traumatic event is different.
A traumatic event threatens the life, health, or safety of the person experiencing or witnessing it. Traumatic events are so powerful because they disrupt our sense of the way the world is supposed to work--they cut against our assumptions of safety and balance.
Events can be traumatic when they are experienced directly, such as a car accident, a sexual assault, or the unexpected death of a loved one. They can also be indirect, such as witnessing a terrible accident, watching a natural or man-made disaster unfold, or being close to someone who experiences an assault. Every person will be affected differently by violence, tragedy, or accidents--we all have a different threshold for what is a traumatic event.
Trauma is a physical, emotional, and neurological response to a terrible event and happens when the effects of an event exceed a person’s ability to cope.
Responses to trauma are highly subjective and no two people will react to trauma in the exact same way. While trauma can have a different impact on everyone, there are a few common responses or symptoms associated with trauma:
- Emotional Effects
- Anger and blame
- Shock and denial
- Numbness
- Self-blame/guilt for "allowing" the crime to happen
- Hyper-vigilant
- Hypersensitivity to environment
- Intensified emotions such as anger, fear, sadness, embarrassment, and shame
- Mood swings
- Physical Effects
- Injury
- Illness
- GI distress and nausea
- Body aches
- Headaches
- Difficulty concentrating or remembering
- Changes in sleep and eating habits
- Inability to feel focused or balanced
- Mental Health Effects
- Feeling that these reactions are a sign of weakness
- Post-traumatic stress reactions
- Anxiety or depression
- Increase in risky behaviors, such as alcohol, drug use, or self-injury
- Intrusive thoughts, such as flashbacks or nightmares
- Relational Effects
- Sense of vulnerability
- Difficulty trusting
- Inability to recognize danger
- Isolation, withdrawal
- Change in normal social activity and daily routine
- Difficulty with intimate and sexual relationships
"Post Traumatic Stress" refers to a pattern of trauma response symptoms that do not resolve after an average period of time. Studies from the National Center for PTSD (US Dept. of Veterans’ Affairs) show that approximately one third of sexual assault and rape survivors experience post traumatic stress during their lifetimes. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and The Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) have extensive information about trauma and traumatic response.
In the first few days and weeks following trauma, it is normal to experience intense and sometimes unpredictable emotions. Individuals respond differently as time progresses and there is not a distinct timeline for coping or recovery. If you are reacting in a way that does not allow you to live your daily life, you may be experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Regardless of how you are feeling, it’s important to talk to someone and determine the support that you need.
Below are some suggestions for how to cope with Sexual Assault and Dating or Domestic Violence.
If you’ve experienced a traumatic incident, you may react in a variety of ways. Reactions are based on individual coping styles, personality, and external factors such as religion or culture.
- Some people may have immediate emotional reactions, and some may appear more composed.
- Some may immediately disclose to a friend, family member, or authority figure, and some may wait a considerable amount of time before telling anyone.
- Some may seek out and take advantage of support resources, and others may find this unappealing.
- It’s important to know that those impacted are doing what they can to regain stability and take care of themselves, even if that looks very different from the way others may believe they would react.
It’s definitely okay to wait to reach out until you are ready. We encourage you to talk to someone you trust as soon as you can, though, to get support and assistance.