Stress Reactions to Trauma/Death

It is important to remember that trauma or stress reactions are normal reactions to abnormal situations. It is difficult to predict how you or another person will respond to a traumatic event. It is important to allow yourself and others permission to have your reactions, to take care of yourself and to ask for help as best you can. Many people find it helpful to have information about what constitutes a typical reaction to trauma. Below are listed some such reactions.

Physiological and Emotional

• Heightened anxiety or fear about the death of others, anxiety about the future
• Irritability, restlessness, over-excitability
• Feelings of sadness, moodiness, more crying than usual
• Feelings of numbness or detachment
• "Survivor guilt" or feelings of self-blame that you're alive
• Mood swings: small reminders or emotional events that seem insignificant can trigger
• Sudden changes in mood or intense reactions

Cognitive

• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling confused, disoriented, distracted, not able to think as quickly or easily as usual
• Difficulty making decisions that normally would be easy
• Worrying about death or thinking about people who have died

Physical

• Headaches
• Nausea or upset stomach
• Exaggerated startle response (easily startled)
• Fatigue: a lot of energy goes into grief work - it can be overwhelming and physically draining

Behavioral

• Hyperactivity or less activity than usual
• Withdrawal, social isolation
• Avoidance of activities or places that bring memories of the event
• Loss of appetite
• Inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, disrupted sleep, deep sadness upon awakening

Shock and Suffering

Shock

Shock: a form of self-protection when faced with emotional overload. Shock may include:

• Disbelief
• Numbness, going through the motions
• Confusion, bewilderment
• Denial
• Isolation, withdrawal

Suffering

Suffering: the emotional stage when realization of the loss sinks in. Suffering may include:

• Sadness
  Longing, missing those who have died
  Depression and sadness about other things
• Anger
  Resentment, feeling cheated, not fair, "Why me?"
  Anger at the deceased for dying (feeling abandoned)
  Anger at other, unrelated things or people
• Fear
  Worrying or obsessing about death
  Worrying or obsessing about the future
  Fear of anger and sadness (afraid of "losing control")
• Denial (attempts to avoid or contain the suffering to cope with feeling powerless)
  "If only" things were different
  Getting philosophical (regarding life, death, God)
  Getting back to business (keeping busy)
• Behavioral signs
  Withdrawing from others
  Wanting to be with others all the time
  Sleep disturbances
  Appetite changes
  Fatigue
  lack of motivation
  Anxiety
  Mood swings