This is not a blog per se but information I have collated to give my community that has had a tragic occurrence, the deaths of three local skydivers on Friday, here at Mission Beach in North Queensland, Australia.
Please note, this is relevant to this incident and for people in Australia, hence the help numbers and organizations at the bottom will differ in other countries.
As you can imagine this has affected the whole community.
With any trauma, it does not just affect the people directly involved but family, friends, relationships, mental wellbeing and some people may cope at the time but develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder weeks, months and even years later.
TRAUMA INFORMATION 15/10/2017
Any event that involves experiencing or witnessing actual or threatened death, serious injury, or violence has the potential to be traumatic. Almost everyone who experiences trauma will be emotionally affected, and there are many different ways in which people will respond. Most people will recover quite quickly with the help of family and friends. For some, the effects can be long-lasting.
Traumatic events include things that happen to you directly, or to someone you are close to.
An event can be traumatic if you witnessed it happening to someone else, or if you were involved in it.
If you were the first on the scene of a serious accident, or disaster.
If you learnt that a friend or family member was involved in a life threatening event, was seriously injured, or died suddenly and unexpectedly.
Traumatic events are emotionally distressing. While most people will recover on their own, for some the experience can lead to mental health issues such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety or substance use. Trauma can also affect your own relationships.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT MANY PEOPLE DO NOT EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS STRAIGHT AWAY, IT CAN BE WEEKS, MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS LATER.
PLEASE KEEP THIS SOMEWHERE WHERE YOU CAN ACCESS IT, IN CASE YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND MAY BENEFIT FROM THIS INFORMATION AT A LATER DATE, EVEN IF YOU DO NOT THINK YOU HAVE BEEN AFFECTED.
When something traumatic happens, it is often overwhelming, and it can be hard to come to terms with what has happened. The experience is likely to be very different from anything you have gone through before. It can mean you question things that you have always thought were true.
For example, you might no longer believe that the world is a safe place, that people are generally good, or that you are in control of what happens to you. When people talk about their world being turned upside down after a traumatic event, it might mean these big picture beliefs have been shattered.
COMMON EFFECTS TRAUMA CAN HAVE ON PEOPLE
1. Repeated, disturbing memories, thoughts, or images
of a stressful experience from the past?
2. Repeated, disturbing dreams of a stressful
experience from the past?
3. Suddenly acting or feeling as if a stressful experience
were happening again (as if you were reliving it)?
4. Feeling very upset when something reminded you of
a stressful experience from the past?
5. Having physical reactions (e.g., heart pounding,
trouble breathing, or sweating) when something
reminded you of a stressful experience from the
past?
6. Avoid thinking about or talking about a stressful
experience from the past or avoid having feelings
related to it?
7. Avoid activities or situations because they remind
you of a stressful experience from the past?
8. Trouble remembering important parts of a stressful
experience from the past?
9. Loss of interest in things that you used to enjoy?
10. Feeling distant or cut off from other people?
11. Feeling emotionally numb or being unable to have
loving feelings for those close to you?
12. Feeling as if your future will somehow be cut short?
13. Trouble falling or staying asleep?
14. Feeling irritable or having angry outbursts?
15. Having difficulty concentrating?
16. Being "super alert" or watchful on guard?
17. Feeling jumpy or easily startled?
Children can react differently than adults.
Children and teens can have extreme reactions to trauma, but their symptoms may not be the same as adults. In very young children (less than 6 years of age), these symptoms can include:
Forgetting how to or being unable to talk
Acting out the scary event during playtime
Being unusually clingy with a parent or other adult
Fear of being separated from parent
Losing previously-acquired skills (such as toilet training)
Sleep problems and nightmares
Somber, compulsive play in which themes or aspects of the trauma are repeated
New phobias and anxieties that seem unrelated to the trauma (such as a fear of monsters)
Acting out the trauma through play, stories, or drawings
Aches and pains with no apparent cause
Irritability and aggression
Older children and teens are more likely to show symptoms similar to those seen in adults. They may also develop disruptive, disrespectful, or destructive behaviors. Older children and teens may feel guilty for not preventing injury or deaths. They may also have thoughts of revenge.
Risk Factors and Resilience Factors for PTSD
Some factors that increase risk for PTSD include:
Getting hurt
Seeing another person hurt, or seeing a dead body
Childhood trauma
Feeling horror, helplessness, or extreme fear
Having little or no social support after the event
Dealing with extra stress after the event, such as loss of a loved one, pain and injury, or loss of a job or home
Having a history of mental illness or substance abuse
Some resilience factors that may reduce the risk of PTSD include:
Seeking out support from other people, such as friends and family
Finding a support group after a traumatic event
Learning to feel good about one’s own actions in the face of danger
Having a positive coping strategy, or a way of getting through the bad event and learning from it
Being able to act and respond effectively despite feeling fear
PTSD can affect a person’s ability to work, perform day-to-day activities or relate to their family and friends. A person with PTSD can often seem disinterested or distant as they try not to think or feel in order to block out painful memories. They may stop them from participating in family life or ignore offers of help. This can lead to loved ones feeling shut out.
It is important to remember that these behaviors are part of the problem. People with PTSD need the support of family and friends, but may not think that they need help.
When to seek help for PTSD
A person who has experienced a traumatic event should seek professional help if they:
don’t feel any better after two weeks
feel highly anxious or distressed
have reactions to the traumatic event that are interfering with home, work and/or relationships
are thinking of harming themselves or someone else.
Some of the signs that a problem may be developing are:
being constantly on edge or irritable
having difficulty performing tasks at home or at work
being unable to respond emotionally to others
being unusually busy to avoid issues
using alcohol, drugs or gambling to cope
having severe sleeping difficulties.
How can you help a loved one with post-traumatic stress disorder?
You can take steps to help a loved one cope with stress brought on by a traumatic event.
A person with acute stress disorder (ASD) has severe stress symptoms during the first month after the traumatic event. Often, this involves feeling afraid, flashbacks or nightmares, difficulty sleeping, or other symptoms. If your loved one has symptoms that last longer than a month and make it hard to go about daily routines, go to work or school, or handle important tasks, he or she could have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Whether your loved one has ASD or PTSD, assessment and counseling (psychotherapy) by a professional can make a critical difference in recovery. Encourage him or her to talk to a doctor or trained mental health provider.
You can also help by being a supportive listener, without attempting to "fix" the situation. Here are some suggestions:
Be willing to listen, but don't push. Make sure your loved one knows that you want to hear about his or her feelings. But if the person isn't ready or willing to talk about it, don't push. Just reassure your loved one that you'll be there if and when he or she is ready.
Choose a time to talk. When you're both ready to talk, choose a time and place where you'll be free of distractions and interruptions. Then truly listen. Ask questions if you don't understand something. But avoid any urges to second-guess, to give advice or to say, "I know just how you feel." Let your loved one take the lead
Try to prepare for PTSD triggers. Common triggers include anniversary dates; people or places associated with the trauma; and certain sights, sounds, or smells. If you are aware of the triggers that may cause an upsetting reaction, you’ll be in a better position to help your loved one calm down.
Don’t take the symptoms of PTSD personally. If your loved one seems distant, irritable, angry, or closed off, remember that this may not have anything to do with you or your relationship
Educate yourself about PTSD
Recognize when to take a break. If you sense that the conversation is becoming too intense for your loved one, provide him or her with an opportunity to stop for now and take up the conversation again on another day. Then follow through.
Get help if talk of suicide occurs. If your loved one talks or behaves in a way that makes you believe he or she might attempt suicide, respond calmly, but act immediately. Make sure the person is not left alone. If it's safe to do so, you may want to discreetly remove pills, firearms or any other objects that could be used for self-harm, and get help from a trained professional as soon as possible. You can also encourage the person to call Suicide to talk with a trained counselor. If there's immediate danger of suicide, call 000 or your local emergency number right away.
Coping with traumatic stress is an ongoing process, and there is no specific time frame for recovery. You might have many conversations with your loved one over weeks or months as he or she processes the traumatic experience during or after a period of professional care.
You'll be of more help to your loved one if you learn about Acute Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from trusted medical sources and encourage your loved one to follow treatment recommendations.
And don't forget to take care of yourself. Coping with trauma that happened to a loved one can be difficult to deal with, and it can make it harder for you to help your loved one if you don't take care of yourself. Take time for the things you enjoy, accept help from others when needed, and make an appointment to see a mental health professional if you're struggling to cope.
Where to get help
Your doctor
Minister/Pastor
Mental health specialist, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker.
Visit an emergency center at your closest hospital
Community health center
Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467
Kids Helpline
1800 55 1800
MensLine Australia – 1300 78 99 78
Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
Veterans and Veterans' Families Counselling Service – 1800 011 046
