Understanding common reactions to trauma
From the book – Chapter 10: Trauma, Grief and Loss
Common reactions to trauma
Reactions can be emotional, physical, cognitive, and behavioural.
| Domain | From this book |
|---|---|
| Emotional | Shock, numbness, disbelief; fear, anxiety, panic; sadness, tearfulness, grief; anger, irritability, rage; guilt or shame; emotional ups and downs |
| Physical | Insomnia, nightmares; fatigue; headaches, body aches, stomach issues; palpitations, breathlessness, dizziness; being easily startled |
| Cognitive | Intrusive memories or images; nightmares; difficulty concentrating or remembering; confusion or feeling foggy; negative beliefs ("The world is completely unsafe", "I am permanently damaged") |
| Behavioural | Avoiding reminders; withdrawing; increased alcohol, tobacco, or other substances; restlessness; difficulty resuming work, school, self-care |
Read the full chapter – Chapter 10: Trauma, Grief and Loss
Stories from real life
- The Road That Kept Coming Back – Imran, thirty-five, a delivery driver in Lucknow, survived a night-time road accident in which his friend was badly hurt. For the first few days he felt…
- Six Months Since Ashok – Lakshmi, sixty-two, lost her husband Ashok six months ago in Coimbatore. At first neighbours filled the house and she was too busy to feel. Now the…
- The House Where She Always Listened – Nadia, twenty-six, works as a designer in Birmingham. She is talented but exhausted by relationships. As a child she grew up in a home where shouting…
- When the Water Came – Ravi, eight, lives in a village in Assam. Last monsoon, the river flooded the house in the night, and the family had to wade out in…
Shloks
- Patanjali Yoga Sutra 2.3 – The afflictions are ignorance, I-making, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life.
More on this topic: Trauma, grief and loss – healing at your own pace
More questions
- Understanding post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Negative changes in thoughts and mood – post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Hyperarousal and reactivity – post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Understanding complex trauma and complex PTSD
- Understanding grief and bereavement – trauma and grief
- What is the difference between normal grief and complicated grief?
- Understanding trauma, grief and the brain
- Understanding trauma-informed care
- Understanding healing from trauma and loss
- Understanding children and adolescents – trauma and grief
- Coping with grief and the loss of a loved one