• If someone is working in a job where they are constantly on the alert for trauma, their body will be in a constant state of tension. Biochemicaly, their body is in readiness for instant action. This can be extremely draining, if it is sustained over a long period of time.
  
  
• In the midst of an emergency, individuals generally respond automatically, and very capably handle the situation. In the aftermath of the trauma, when the shock wears off, the reality can begin to sink in.
  
  
• It can be helpful to remember there may be a delayed reaction. Sometimes, a situation will surface in a person's memory that occurred several years ago. A present trauma can remind someone of a past experience, or a "memory trigger" (such as a song on the radio, a person who resembles the victim, certain odors, sounds, or visual associations) will call up the past unexpectedly.
  
  
• The aftermath of trauma can be a physically devastating experience. The individual's body may feel physically attacked and injured.
  
  As a person facing grief or illness you may be stigmatized. People may not know how to handle you or make you better. They may even be afraid of you, because you represent fear and pain that could come into their lives. Focus on taking care of yourself and surrounding yourself with caring people who will accept your process. You do not have to make it better for the world. This is a time to take care of yourself, something we rarely think about doing.

1. A critically high level of stress. Stress is anything that must be adapted to (even positive things) in our life. What one person experiences as stressful may not be for another.
2. A triggering traumatic event (Again, different for each person)
3. A specific response or series of responses in the aftermath of the traumatic event:
   • Numbing and withdrawal: People feel nothing. They can lose interest in family, work and daily activities.
   • Re-living the event: Flashbacks of the event will make the person feel as though they are re-experiencing the event.
     
     
   • Depression: This is a very common response and is often the type of depression where the person loses all hope for goodness in the world. It can be a very discouraging feeling of cynical pessimism.
     
     
   • Sleep difficulties: Problems falling asleep, waking up several times during the night. Nightmares, daymares, heart palpitations and sweats, and awakening very early are also common.
     
     
   • Guilt: Guilt arises from a feeling of helplessness; either because a victim could not be saved, or if they were they are in a state of pain, disability, or suffering that somehow speaks of failure for the responder. The feeling of guilt is real, whether in actuality anything could have been done differently to prevent the outcome. Responders often feel it should have been them, rather than the victim who was hurt or killed.
     
     
   • Substance abuse: Alcohol, drugs and other addictions are used to numb the pain. Many responders know of no other way to survive the agony of coping with the horror and aftermath of daily exposure to trauma.
     
     
   • Family, marital and relationship problems: In an effort to numb the pain, people can become distant, hostile and very difficult to be with. The delicate balance of relationships is severely altered, sometimes with irreversible results, such as divorce, abuse, etc.
     
     
   • Lowered level of functioning: The individual's functioning ability can dramatically decrease after a period of time in a stressful career. Any subsequent event that is similar may render the responder inadequate or unable to respond effectively to the crisis.

1. Education on the dynamics of stress, what to expect and normal responses, as well as effective tools to cope with the aftermath.
   
   
2. Peer support education to enable co-workers to support each other on an ongoing basis.
   
   
3. Group "De-briefing" sessions to allow the expression of the horror and feelings of helplessness, anger, guilt and pain together.
   
   
4. Ongoing support follow-up and professional counseling as needed.

Click on these links for further information:

  SPD HOMEPAGE