Blog

Deb Gleeson - 25 July 2017

What is trauma to me may not be trauma to you and vice versa

What is trauma to me may not be trauma to you and vice versa.

What is a traumatic event? Most of us think of it as being the exposure of one or more people to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation. However, trauma is more than this.

Traumatic events can be:

• Accidents or assaults
  
• Ongoing such as abuse, neglect, bullying or torture
  
• Happen to communities or society, like, bushfires, storms or acts of terror
  
• Be experienced without needing to be at the point of trauma, people can experience trauma just be hearing about a traumatic event.
  

If a person experiences an overwhelming feeling of fear, helplessness or horror they may need immediate help.

Some people can have delayed reactions to trauma and people who have experienced a traumatic event need to be assess over the next few days and weeks.

Some return to 'normal' functioning should be seen within 2-4 weeks. If not professional help should be sought.

What can you do to help someone you know who has experienced a traumatic event?

1. Don't force them to talk but be available if they want to talk.
2. Offer practical help, wash dishes, cook food etc
3. Encourage the person to ask for assistance and take care of themself and rest..
4. Encourage them to do things that they enjoy.
5. Some people benefit from finding support groups of others who have experienced trauma.
6. Normalise the situation. It's common to feel stress reactions to an abnormal event. They are going through a normal anxious response.

Do your best and get help for yourself if needed. Mental Health First Aid trains people to be able to respond to someone after a traumatic event. Come along and learn new skills that could support you and someone you know at any time.

Remember Mental Health is everyone's business