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.

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