Managing after a Traumatic Event

Seek Professional Assistance If

• You have thoughts of suicide.
• You haven’t slept for three or four days (see your doctor).
• You are using alcohol or drugs to cope.
• You are struggling to meet your academic demands.
• Your reactions feel overwhelming and too difficult to cope with on your own.
• Your reactions are still interfering significantly with your life a month after the traumatic event occurred.

All of the reactions listed below can be part of a normal response to a traumatic event. Some reactions may occur immediately, while others may occur much later. Most often the symptoms will resolve on their own in the days and weeks following the event.

Witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event often overwhelms the body and causes a significant stress reaction. Most often, the body will recover and the symptoms will resolve over time, but there are several things you can do to speed this process. Consider trying the following:

• Focus on coping with your reactions to the event. Accept them as a natural response to what has happened. Avoid labeling yourself as “crazy.”
  
  
• Remember that recurring thoughts, images, or dreams about the trauma are natural and will decrease in frequency and intensity over time.
  
  
• Use coping strategies that have worked for you in the past.
  
  
• In the first few days after experiencing a trauma, make an effort to be physically active (even a walk is helpful). This may help alleviate some of the intense physical responses.
  
  
• Try to maintain most of you regular routine, but limit demands where possible.
  
  
• Choose healthy meals and eat regularly, even if you don’t feel like it.
  
  
• Limit caffeine as it can contribute to feelings of anxiety.
  
  
• Avoid using substances as a way to cope.
  
  
• Follow a regular sleep schedule as much as possible. If sleep troubles persist, see your doctor.
  
  
• If you are having trouble functioning at school, get help right away. Talk to your professors or advisor.
  
  
• Reach out and ask for the support you need. Be specific (e.g., someone to listen to you without giving advice, an extension of a due date for a paper).
  
  
• Talk with others about your current symptoms and reactions, but don’t feel like you have to re-tell the details of the traumatic event. In the days and weeks following the event this is likely too distressing for your already overwhelmed system.
  
  
• Accept support when it is offered (e.g., being granted some time off work).
  
  
• Balance spending time alone and being with others.
  
  
• Continue to make day-to-day decisions so that you have some sense of control in your life. Delay major life decisions for another time.
  
  
• Engage in relaxing activities.
  
  
• Give yourself permission to laugh and have fun.
  
  
• Give yourself credit for coping.

• Offer to listen and spend time with the person who has been traumatized.
  
  
• Re-telling the details of the trauma in the days or weeks following the event can be quite distressing and unhelpful for the individual whose system has been overwhelmed. Let the individual decide what they want to share. Invite them to talk about the reactions they are experiencing and support them in finding ways to cope.
  
  
• Provide reassurance that the person is safe.
  
  
• Help out with everyday tasks (e.g., laundry).
  
  
• Don’t take the person's anger or intense feelings personally.
  
  
• Tell the person you are sorry about what happened and want to understand and help. Avoid saying, “you’re lucky it wasn’t worse.” As well, let the person decide how much to share about the event.
  
  
• If you are struggling with how to support a person who has experienced a trauma, call one of the support services listed on the first page for suggestions.

• Student Wellness Centre
• Drop-in Peer Support
• Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service