Common Reactions to Trauma – Adults
Karen Carr, MMCT
Below you will find some reactions and symptoms that are often experienced by individuals who have been through a trauma. These symptoms reflect your body’s way of trying to cope and adjust to what has happened.
Physical:
Pounding Heart
Sweating
Flushed
Shortness of Breath/Hyperventilation
Chest Pains
Nausea/Vomiting
Upset stomach/Vomiting
Loss of appetite or craving junk food
Muscle tremors
Loss of coordination
Frequent headaches or migraines
Muscle soreness
Rapid uncontrolled speech
Difficulty sitting or relaxing
Dizzy or fainting
Dryness of mouth and throat
Frequent need to urinate
Grinding of teeth
Inability to shake a cold
Weight change (gain or loss)
Insomnia/difficulty sleeping, nightmares
Feeling of exhaustion and fatigue
Change in sexual functioning or desire
Missed menstrual cycle
Thoughts and Attitudes:
Disbelief
Horror
Confusion
Poor concentration
Spaciness
Poor decision making abilities
Disorientation
Poor memory
Poor attention (not retaining information)
Preoccupied with trauma memories
Preoccupation with health
Time distortion (time slows down or speeds up)
Increased rigidity and closed thinking (inflexibility)
Feeling omnipotent (unrealistic appraisal of situation)
Cynicism or negativism
Absolute thinking (I will never; This always)
Negative/Critical judgements against self (I am such a failure)
Hindsight thinking (If only; Why didn’t)
Emotions:
Numb/Emotionally shut down
Shocked
Anxious
Agitated
Panicked or fearful (specific or general)
Overwhelmed
Anger (at self, others, God)
Mood swings
Troubling dreams
Sad
Depression
Helpless or inadequate feelings
Sense of guilt
Loss of sense of humor
Less able to cope with new or continued emotional stress
Relationships:
Irritability
Easily frustrated
Insensitivity
Loss of interest in others
Isolating/Distancing (Avoiding fellowship)
Insecurity
Avoidance of intimacy
Suspicious
Clingy
Discord/Arguments
Critical of others
Scapegoating (a focal point for suppressed anger and depression)
Hypersensitivity (feelings easily hurt)
Behaviors:
Losing or misplacing things
Easily startled/Hyperalert to environment
Tearful
Excessive activity (or hyperactivity)
Excessive talking
Starts things but doesn’t finish
Avoidance behaviors:
Use of alcohol to numb
Use of drugs (prescription or not) to numb
Abandonment of fun activities
Overly involved in work
Desire to leave field
Less productive
Risky/Self-destructive behaviors:
Increased smoking
Excessive spending
Accident prone
Sexual immorality
Meaning/Ministry:
Increasingly busy with task orientation
Loss of sense of purpose/role
Less meaning in ministry
Disappointment with God
Loss of motivation
Questioning former beliefs
Conclusions:
Each person is unique in how they respond to a trauma, so your response may not be the same as another person who has gone through the same or a similar experience.
Remember that it takes time to heal.
After you work through these reactions, you will come to a new place in your life that is characterized by deeper understanding, healthy conclusions, resilience, deeper trust, and an expanded world view. You will be one who has suffered and yet thrived.
Even after many of the memories are gone and you are feeling much better, there may still be things which "trigger" these symptoms and painful memories.
If these symptoms become very intense and persist over a long period of time, or if you are noticing impairment in your ministry or relationships, you may want to consider talking with a counselor who specializes in trauma. This does not mean that you are crazy, only that you need some help.
For more information Click HERE to contact MMCT
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