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2 •
trauma
+
substance use
Common reactions to traumatic experiences
• Each person is different and responds to trauma in their own way. However, there are
particular types of reactions that are common (see Table 1).
• Many people have strong emotional or physical reactions after going through a trauma.
Traumatic events may also affect the way a person thinks and behaves. These are normal
reactions to an abnormal event.
• For most people, these feelings start soon after the traumatic event has occurred. For
some, however, these feelings may not appear until months or years after the event.
Table 1:
Reactions to trauma
Trauma can affect the way you feel emotionally and physically, the way you think,
and the way you behave. This table shows some common symptoms of trauma.
Have you experienced any of these reactions? Tick (
4
) the box next to the
reactions that you have experienced.
Physical reactions
Feeling on edge and on the look-out for signs of danger
Being easily startled (e.g., by loud noises or sudden movements)
Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Sweating or having a racing heartbeat when reminded of the trauma
Changes in thinking
Intrusive thoughts — memories of the event you can’t control
‘Flashbacks’ — feeling as if the trauma is happening again
Nightmares about the event
Trying to block out thinking about the event
Finding it hard to concentrate and remember things
Having an altered perception of yourself (e.g., I am a bad person) and the world
(e.g., the world is a dangerous place)
Emotional reactions
Fear or anxiety
Sadness or depression, hopelessness and despair, thoughts of suicide
Anger or irritability
Guilt and shame
Loss of control
Numb and distant from others
Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
Loss of interest in sex