Both during and after a traumatic event, you may experience a variety of physical, cognitive and emotional reactions. These are all normal, expected reactions which many people have after a serious crisis or trauma.

Physical/Behavioral Reactions:

• Change in appetite
• Cold-like symptoms
• Dizziness
• Fatigue/exhaustion
• Gastrointestinal disturbance
• Headaches
• Isolation or withdrawal
• Muscle aches
• Muscle tremors/twitches
• Sleep disturbance/nightmares
• Startle reactions
• Under- or over-activity
• Vomiting

Cognitive Reactions:

• Amnesia for the event
• Confusion
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty making decisions
• Difficulty solving problems
• Flashbacks of the event
• Lowered attention span
• Memory disturbance/forgetfulness
• Minimizing the incident
• Preoccupation with the event
• Questioning core beliefs
• Problems naming familiar things
• Slowed thinking

Emotional Reactions:

• Anger/irritability
• Anxiety/tension
• Denial/disbelief
• Fear
• Feeling emotionally numb
• Feelings of helplessness
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Feeling overly sensitive
• Grief/sadness
• Guilt/self-doubt
• Hypervigilance
• Mood swings
• Moodiness/depression
  

These are normal reactions to an abnormal event. Although painful, these symptoms are part of the process of recovering from a crisis or trauma. Although it is not possible to make these reactions quickly go away, there are many things you can do to aid your recovery process:

1. Don’t label yourself “crazy” - you’re having normal reactions to a very abnormal event.

2. Be tolerant of others who may not react the same way as you. There is no “right” way to react after a traumatic event. Different people react in different ways.

3. WITHIN THE FIRST 24 TO 48 HOURS, periods of strenuous physical exercise alternated with relaxation will generally alleviate some of the physical reactions.

4. Try to maintain a sense of structure in your daily activities. Keep your life and your daily routines as normal as possible.

5. Reach out to others. Spend time with family, friends and others you trust.

6. Help others who have been affected by the trauma by sharing feelings and checking out how they are doing. Reach out to those who seem isolated or alone.

7. Maintain a balance between helping others and caring for yourself. Avoid extremes in either direction.

8. Talk and listen to each other. Talk can be the most healing medicine.

9. Give yourself permission to have whatever feelings you have. Share your feelings and reactions with others. Allow others to share their feelings and reactions with you.

10. Avoid trying to numb your feelings through use of drugs or alcohol. (However, do not make any changes in prescription medication without first consulting your physician).

11. Keep a journal. Put your feelings, thoughts and reactions down in writing. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, write.

12. Consider making use of available support resources, such as talking with a member of the clergy or a mental health professional.

13. If your symptoms persist beyond a few weeks, or get worse, and are disrupting your daily functioning, seek out professional mental health services.

14. Resources for Tulane students include:

    1. The Psychiatry Dept (865-5255, ext. 3), located on the third floor of the Student Health Center.

    2. Educational Resources and Counseling (865-5113), located on the first floor of the Mechanical Engineering Building.

15. Mental health services for Tulane faculty and staff are available through the Employee Assistance Program provided by Optum Care24 (1-800-250-6179).