RESPONDING TO THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMATIC EVENTS

The University Counseling Center would like to provide some basic information about responding to the effects of traumatic events. Please keep in mind that each person reacts to trauma in a different manner and these reactions may change over time.

WHAT ARE "NORMAL" STRESS REACTIONS TO TRAUMATIC EVENTS?

Trauma and stress are normal reactions to abnormal situations. It is difficult to predict how you will respond to a traumatic event. It is important to allow your personal reactions, to take care of yourself, and to ask for help as best as you can. Many people find it helpful to have information about what constitutes a typical reaction to trauma.

Below are listed some common reactions:

Physiological and Emotional

• Feelings of sadness, moodiness, more crying than usual
• Feelings of numbness or detachment
• Heightened anxiety or fear; fears about death of others, anxiety about the future, fears of being alone
• Irritability, restlessness, over excitability
• Hyper vigilance, excessive fear that something will happen to you or others
• "Survivor guilt" or feelings of guilt or blame that you are alive
• Mood swings: or 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
• Ruminating about the death, injury, or loss

Physical

• Headaches
• Nausea or upset stomach
• Exaggerated startle response
• Fatigue, feeling slowed down: a lot of energy goes into grief. 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 person or the event
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia: inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, disrupted sleep, deep sadness upon awakening

In responses to this type of tragedy, you may find that you or those around you may react in the following ways:

• Shock and disbelief: Immediately after learning about such a disaster, many people may feel numb, or feel like such an event can't quite be real.
• Speculation about what happened and seeking more information, such as listening to or watching the news, checking the web for updates, talking to others about what you each know or have heard.
• Feeling sadness or anger about the tragedy and discussing this with family, friends, colleagues.
• Wanting to check in with loved ones, even if they are not close to the disaster, or in any immediate danger. It is normal to want to touch base with someone you care about.

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HOW CAN I COPE WITH FEAR AFTER A TRAUMATIC EVENT?

After witnessing, experiencing, or hearing about the details of a violent or threatening event, many people experience a heightened sense of vulnerability or fear. In order to better manage this fear reaction, the following suggestions are offered:

1. Validate the fear. Know that it is normal to feel fear and accept the range of emotions we are experiencing.
2. Share the fear with others. Meeting with others who are willing/able to listen to your fear or to share their fear reactions with you can be helpful. Even if you do not feel like talking, being with others who are experiencing the same feelings and talking about them can be useful.
3. Find ways not to be alone. Spend time with others in order to provide a safe, comforting environment for you. If fears are more intense at night, invite a friend to spend the night with you or go to his/her home or room.
4. Share responsibilities for tasks that are difficult or frightening for you to do. Any activities associated with a traumatic event can be more difficult for a while. Find ways of sharing those tasks until they become less frightening,
5. Look for ways to be involved. Actively participate in community responses and actions, such as discussions and services that offer hope and actions that help others.
6. Create a safe environment. Take time to critically evaluate the physical surroundings in which you live and work and find ways to increase your sense of safety.
7. Get accurate information about the trauma. Get useful, accurate information in a crisis. Avoid people who exaggerate or catastrophize about events. With accurate information you have more power with which to deal with the event or your reactions to it.
8. Recognize the normal reactions to fear. Get useful, accurate information about normal reactions to trauma. It is easier to deal with intense reactions when you can remember that perceived"abnormal" reactions are really normal reactions to an abnormal situation.
9. Remember that you cannot control everything. No one is able to completely predict, prevent, or control the actions of others or all situations that might arise. Integrating this fact into your view of your life is psychologically healthy and can help you better assess what those things are that you can have some control over.
10. Give yourself time to heal. Realize that the passage of time will decrease your fear response. Taking steps such as those listed above aid the passage of time.
11. Ask for support from people who care about you. Communicate your reactions in whatever way feels most comfortable to you, whether it be talking to a fellow student, a faculty member, a colleague, a professional, or family and friends.
12. Be aware of local resources. Check your campus e-mail to stay abreast of the resources being offered to the campus community.
13. Engage in healthy behaviors. Take care of yourself by being sure to eat well and get plenty of rest.
14. Reestablish routines. Try to incorporate as much of your usual routine as you can while also making allowances for yourself as necessary.

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WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE?

In the hours and days following such tragedies, the shock begins to wear off, and more feelings may emerge, such as sadness and anger. It is important to share these feelings with people that you trust. For some people, the level of feelings or the kinds of questions that emerge may indicate that additional counseling support would be helpful.

Below are some additional guidelines for determining whether to seek professional counseling:

• Do you have friends or family members in New York or Washington, D.C.?
• Is this event bringing up recollections of previous loss, trauma, or crisis that you or a loved one has faced? Are your experiencing heightened feelings of anxiety, fear for your safety, or rage?
• Are you crying more than usual in response to sadness?
• Are you wondering how to talk to your children or younger siblings about this event or how they will react?

If you are experiencing any of these circumstances, or just wish to talk to a counselor for additional support, please do not hesitate to call the University Counseling Center at 442-5800 or the Middle Earth hotline at 442-5777. Although our staff is available to ALL members of the University at Albany community during this time, employees of the University may also want to utilize the Employee Assistance Program at 442-5483.

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HOW CAN I SUPPORT A FRIEND IN CRISIS?

Here are a few tips to follow if you have a friend who is dealing with the aftermath of a crisis situation, tragedy, or personal loss:

• Reach out and spend time with the person in crisis.
• Make time to talk, encourage the person to express his/her feelings, and listen.
• Respect the person's need to spend time alone, too.
• Help with everyday tasks where possible...run errands, share a meal, pick up mail, care for a pet, etc.
• Don't try to offer false cheer or "fix things"...listening non-judgmentally to another is a powerful form of support..
• Help the person connect with supportive resources on campus and in the community.
• Encourage the person to contact the University Counseling Center or Middle Earth or seek professional help when appropriate.
• Take care of yourself and know your own limits.

  For more information about how this national tragedy has affected the University at Albany community and to be advised of any updates, please visit www.albany.edu.

  Acknowledgements Some of the above information was adapted from the American Psychological Association's Guidelines for Managing Traumatic Stress. We would also like to acknowledge the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Buffalo, and the State University of New York at Geneseo for information used in this publication.