Coping with Potentially Traumatic Events

Whether you have directly experienced a highly stressful or potentially traumatic event, or you are dealing with stress due to a local or global current event, you might be experiencing a variety of reactions.

For people who have trauma from past situations, such as surviving sexual violence, abuse, or an accident, current events can bring up emotions and memories from past experiences.

Common reactions might include:

· Difficulty sleeping

· Feeling unsafe

· Feeling shocked or numb

· Fatigue

· Anxiety

· Irritability or anger

· Sadness or depression

· Crying

· Appetite changes

· Physical symptoms, such as headaches or nausea

· Difficulty concentrating

· Withdrawing from others

· Not participating in activities you normally enjoy

While your needs and distress will vary depending on a variety of factors, utilize the following information and resources as you cope.

After experiencing a potentially traumatic event, it is common to experience stress. Here are some tips:

Take care of the basics.

It is typical to feel overwhelmed after highly stressful or potentially traumatic events. If this is the case, focus on the basics to ensure you are getting your needs met, such as drinking water, eating regularly, doing what you can to get plenty of sleep, and taking care of personal hygiene such as brushing your teeth and showering.

Give yourself time.

You might not feel ready to deal with typical tasks and responsibilities. This is normal and temporary. Allow yourself time to process what has happened and manage expectations for what you might be able to do initially.

Connect with others.

Connect with others in ways that work for you. Some people withdraw from others immediately after experiencing something that is potentially traumatic or highly stressful. When you are ready, consider balancing spending time alone and with people who are supportive and understanding.

Engage in activities.

Engage in activities that bring you joy or help you unwind. This might include spending time outdoors, meditation, breathwork, listening to relaxing music, petting dogs at a Pete’s Pet Posse event, visiting the Reboot Center, going for a walk, taking a class at the Colvin Center, sitting on a bench at Theta Pond, going for a long drive, or playing a game.

A range of reactions is possible.

You might experience a variety of reactions that can shift and change rapidly in the immediate aftermath of the event. This is normal and common, and they are temporary. These reactions relate to changes in 6 areas: relationships, behavior, thinking, physical health, emotions, and spirituality/meaning-making.

Don't expect a linear process.

If you have experienced the loss of someone, grief can be a long process and it does not follow linear stages or a timeline. Everyone grieves differently, and grief will also vary depending on the nature of the loss. It is typical to oscillate between feeling emotionally steady and even productive, and experiencing intense emotions such as sadness or anger. University Counseling Services offers grief counseling, and frequently has group counseling available for grief.

Warning signs of emotional distress

It is typical to experience stress after potentially traumatic events and this is usually temporary and short-term. For some people, this stress might last for a longer period, such as weeks or months, and it can create difficulties with relationships, behavior, physical & emotional health, and more. The following list is from SAMHSA; if you have been experiencing some of these, consider talking with a mental health professional:

· Eating or sleeping too much or too little

· Pulling away from people and things

· Having low or no energy

· Having unexplained aches and pains, such as constant stomach aches or headaches

· Feeling helpless or hopeless

· Excessive smoking, drinking, or using drugs, including prescription medications

· Frequent worrying; feeling guilty but not sure why

· Thinking of hurting or killing yourself or someone else

· Having difficulty readjusting to home or work life

Ask for help

Help can come in many forms and can be found both on and off campus:

University Counseling Services is an on-campus resource for individual and group counseling.
Student Case Management at OSU offers support and resource connection for students in distress.
University Health Services provides medical care on campus.
Text or call 988 – Suicide and Crisis Helpline
Call SAM - Student Assistance by Mercy. Call 1-855-225-2SAM (2726). This is a free helpline with counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Additional Resources

Coping with trauma or disaster:

Grief:

Self-Care:

Faculty and staff resources:

Teaching in Times of Crisis