Trauma reactions

• A racing heart rate – palpitations, chest pains, increased blood pressure.
• Hot and sweating or cold and shaky.
• Breathing fast – hard to take a deep breath, dizzy.
• Trembling and unsteady – need to sit or lie down.
• Crying – sobbing, tearful, screaming.
• Tense muscles, tight chest, hard to swallow, headaches.
• Nauseous – going to the toilet more often, diarrhoea, constipation.
• Tired – exhausted, lack of energy.
• Wired – restless, wanting to move, bursts of energy.
• Sleep problems – sleeping less or more, hard to get to sleep, waking often, nightmares.
• Changes in appetite – eating less or more.
• Decreased interest in sex.
• Health conditions worsen - falling ill more easily, clumsier and more accident prone.

Feelings can be very strong and unpredictable. Many say it’s like being on a roller coaster.

• Shocked – hard to take it in, disbelieving, confused, feeling numb -as if things are unreal.
• Helpless and despairing – feeling things are out of control, overwhelmed, feeling vulnerable.
• Worried, anxious, fearful – anxious about your safety and others’, uncertain what will happen next, jumpy, on edge, agitated, possibly experiencing panic attacks.
• Avoiding thoughts and emotions – finding reminders too difficult to cope with.
• Irritable and angry – more short-tempered and reactive, sudden outbursts of anger or fury at who caused it or “allowed it to happen”, increased levels of aggression.
• Blaming – yourself or others for what happened, possibly blaming God.
• Guilty – of not doing more to prevent it or not behaving as you would have liked.
• Ashamed – embarrassed it’s happened to you or someone you love, lower self-esteem.
• Sad and grieving – for loss, the harm done, death, serious injuries, or damage to homes and property, for how things were before.
• Negative thoughts depressed – hard to be positive, feeling hopeless, thoughts of self-harm.

• Things can seem a blur – can’t remember details, brain fog.
• Hard to focus or concentrate – preoccupied, distracted, slow thinking.
• Forgetful – can’t take information in easily.
• Continually on alert – hypervigilant, looking for more possible threats.
• Difficulty making decisions or planning.
• Disturbing memories or thoughts come into your mind –playing on loop, such as “What if I had done x, y or z, instead?”
• Distressing flashbacks – “reliving” the experience, including having physical reactions to the vivid memories. (See our Dealing with Flashbacks information sheet)
• Extremely sensitive to any sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, or sights that trigger bad memories

• Withdrawing from and avoiding others, needing to be with or near others more than usual.
• Avoiding certain locations, people, or situations.
• Wanting to check where loved ones are through the day – becoming extra safety conscious.
• Increased arguing and conflict with others – tense relationships.
• Loss of interest in things usually enjoyed.
• Avoiding work or wanting to work more – intentionally keeping very busy.
• Increased use of alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs, or increased risk-taking to avoid or cope.

• Questioning… why has this happened?
• Looking for meaning in what’s happened.
• Finding it harder to know what or who to trust.
• Moving towards or away from faith beliefs.
• Looking to forebears, our tīpuna/ancestors, for guidance and comfort.