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Some emotional distress following a traumatic event or critical incident is a normal reaction to an abnormal experience (at least for most people).
Following a traumatic event, one would expect to experience a range of reactions, which could include:
- anxiety
- arousal caused by adrenaline
- fatigue
- irritability
- hypervigilance
- increased emotionality
- problems sleeping
- bad dreams exaggerated startle response
- change in appetite
- feeling overwhelmed
- impatience,
- and/or withdrawing from family and friends
Experiencing some of the above reactions does not indicate development of a mental health diagnosis or disorder. These symptoms are normal and may suggest a need for early corrective action to limit the impact they may have.
View early intervention strategies
Red flags
Signs or indicators of a more potentially concerning response occur when physiological, emotional, cognitive and/or behavioral changes persist for longer than four weeks, cause unmanageable levels of distress (including depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts), or have a significant negative impact on important areas of functioning (i.e. work, school, family, relationships). It is important to watch for red flags of more serious problems such as:
- Significant changes in family, work, or school patterns.
- Persistent sadness.
- Thoughts of death, self-harm, or suicide.
- Ongoing sleep disturbance.
- Persistent and/or increasing irritability.
- Ongoing increase in the use of alcohol or other addictive substances.
If months have passed since a particular critical incident or traumatic event and an individual is still experiencing significant distress, a more chronic or potentially serious stress reaction may be the reason.