Post Trauma Recovery Protocol

The following is a very informative article that I think everyone should bookmark, even if it's not relevant to you at the moment. I'm not going to put it in a quote box because people needing it will have difficulty concentrating as it is.

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www.awaken.com...

[snip]

Each person, depending on their innate physical and emotional constitution, their time of life, the day to day challenges of life, is affected differently by sudden shocks and catastrophic events. Symptoms that rise from shock may differ from person to person also.



Thus, over a period of time, if you of ‘the inner circle,’ that is, if you are an eye-witness, a helper, a first responder, a victim, a survivor, a person who lost a loved one, or had a loved one in the path of danger, or seriously injured… if you have been suddenly hit hard by tragedy… if you are military, fire fighter, worker, helping-professional, law enforcement, rescue worker, citizen rescuer, news gatherer, photographer, or connect to the tragedy in other close-in relationships, you may find yourself having one or more of the following reactions.



The following are normal reactions to sudden shock relating to life and death events, to sudden twists of fate. When one has been involved in a critical incident, the body, mind and heart, and some believe too, that the spirit and soul, are shocked as well.



This is because it is shocking to see in full consciousness, in a split second, how close death suddenly came into our world, how fast, and often at first, how quietly... This witness is arresting to any human being with a heart and soul.

IMPORTANT: Using Content From Other Websites on ATS
MOD NOTE: Posting work written by others

IMPORTANT: Using Content From Other Websites on ATS
MOD NOTE: Posting work written by others

reply to post by Tsu322


Hey sweetie, thanks for sending me the link.
I just read the whole article...a lot of it applied to me.
S&F
Don't know how I didn't see your thread before.
*hugs*
jaky

thank you so much for this article. It really helped me now.. I feel so lonely and sad.. really depressed and it feels like I do not want to get up from my bed.. just want to sleep all day and let my time pass

reply to post by jackj


Hi jackj!
I know that feeling all too well!
Some days I just look forward to bedtime, so I can escape. Pretty sad way to live.
Feel free to u2u me if you want to talk. If not, that's fine too. I don't really like to talk about my unhappy/crappy life....would rather play on here and pretend it's not all really happening!

jacy

reply to post by jackj


Hi Jackj, I'm really sorry to hear that you have use for the article.

Try not to beat yourself up too much about having quiet days. Sometimes our brains need a lot of time for things to sink in and accept stuff. When our bodies receive trauma we need to rest as much as we can and avoid anything strenuous, it's the same with the psyche. Allowing yourself time to lay in bed / stare at the walls guilt free is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself.

Feeling sad and lonely is normal too. If you do want to talk though feel free to PM me at any time, I only bite when I'm cornered.

Thanks for posting this article. Ive read a couple books on grief, but none really came close to describing how it is with sudden shock like that.

Wish I would have seen this sooner. Too many 'yep,thats me' for my comfort level .
Definately feel stuck in that loop and never knew what panic attacks were until just recently.
Don't know how to move on or forward for that matter. Just feel stuck.

reply to post by palmalBlue2


I totally get the feeling stuck thing. Many years later I still ask myself when is it going to get get better. It is better, but not as much as I would like. I still have nightmares, I still can't face certain reminders.

reply to post by calstorm


I really cannot imagine going through years feeling like this.
I think I did everything on that list wrong.
Not talking, not asking for help, closing myself off, etc. because I grew up learning that you just gotta suck it up and move on.
That don't always work.
Nighttime.....hate it for the same reasons you mentioned.
I guess this is a start.
of course Id rather nail my foot to the floor than admit im screwed up right now .

reply to post by Tsu322


Its been close to a year since my friend dissappeared.
I think it has overshadowed everything else Ive been through in the last year.
there is no closure for me until he is found.

reply to post by palmalBlue2


I did the same thing. I actually had a couple events that happened in the same year, so I think back to back trauma contributed to a lot. It started with my moms suicide. The very next day was my first day at a new job that I couldn't afford not to have. So I had to suck it up and pretend life was great and be excited to work there.

Things got worse from there, more death, spending the most agonizing 16 hours of my life just waiting to hear the words that my baby didn't make it (something I'll never get over), practically lived in hospitals when I wasn't at work or in school.

Pure survival mode, had to keep my chin up and keep moving forward because I couldn't afford to take the time to grieve any of it. After all bills had to be paid or I would be out on the street and I was the one keeping everyone else together.

I have had a little to drink to night and I am saying too much.


I hope your friend is found. My thoughts are with you are your friend. No one should have to live their life with the kind of thoughts and questions a missing loved one brings up.

reply to post by calstorm


Cal,

Thank you and know that you are in my thoughts as well.

I am almost sure that you also posted on the holiday thread. Specifically the one on christmas eve. I just wanted to say thank you. It was enough to know that me and my family and my friend's mom were not alone.
She came over to our house that night because her family was pretending like my friend didn't exists and no one even asked how she was.
I showed her the thread to let her know we were not alone and there were others out there also struggling.
I remember that she pretty much lost it because her own family moved on and here a group of strangers were acknowleging her son.
I remember sending PMs out to others that were going through stuff. Not that I could help them, just to let them know.
Its foggy for me because sometimes there is just not enough booze out there.
I think there were 3 people that night that was going through grief.

I wish people could understand that holidays, anniversaries are rough and although I may be angry or distant on the outside, that inside I acknowlege that you care and it means alot, but its easier to have a front than it is to break down and just let the pain out. Especially infront of others during a gathering.

reply to post by Tsu322


Please check you inbox... I sent you one and thanks again for the article.

I really dont want to post what the second thing is because its still to new and if I do I am sure some dip# is gonna say I am attention seeking or whatever.

We [my family and I] knew a homeless kid and took him in.
We stopped him from killing his family and half the school THAT MY SON ATTENDS. [protect my son/help him???]
Got authorities involved who ended up placing the kid with us. [don't ask]
Things went ok and he got help until end of Feb./early march
Got a phone call from him saying what he was gonna do and then tried right in front of us and the cops.

and here I m posting here cause cannot talk to anyone face to face right now.

I really dont want to post what the second thing is because its still to new and if I do I am sure some dip# is gonna say I am attention seeking or whatever.

We [my family and I] knew a homeless kid and took him in.
We stopped him from killing his family and half the school THAT MY SON ATTENDS. [protect my son/help him???]
Got authorities involved who ended up placing the kid with us. [don't ask]
Things went ok and he got help until end of Feb./early march
Got a phone call from him saying what he was gonna do and then tried right in front of us and the cops.

Authorities wanted to send him back here and he wanted to come back but we said no.

ok, I think I am done hijacking this thread.

thanks for listening.

I authored that thread. You have know idea how much your words mean to me and knowing that my thread was able to help others feel less alone in their grief means the world to me.

palmalBlue2
reply to post by calstorm

 

I wish people could understand that holidays, anniversaries are rough and although I may be angry or distant on the outside, that inside I acknowlege that you care and it means alot, but its easier to have a front than it is to break down and just let the pain out. Especially infront of others during a gathering.

edit on 5-4-2014 by palmalBlue2 because: (no reason given)

I couldn't agree more.

Society has an unspoken rule that during certain events and times of the year you are supposed to act happy and cheerful even when you don't feel it, and if you don't you are bringing everyone else down.

I can't remember if it was before or after I made that thread, my husband and I were at the store when a clerk was complaining to their superiors about how when they said Merry Christmas to someone, they said "No, it's not a Merry Christmas." He went off about that person being the type who wants to get rid of the words Merry Christmas or some nonsense.

My first thoughts was that the person probably had just experienced loss or was going through a rough time, but it shows how ignorant people can be when it comes to other peoples suffering.

Anyways, feel free to send me a U2U if you ever need to talk or even just to vent.