Common reactions after traumatic events
- Insecurity and anxiety
- Reliving the trauma (flashbacks)
- Memories and images from past traumatic events
- Sleeping difficulties and/or nightmares
- Physical ailments
- Feeling helpless
- Worrying that something will happen to your loved ones
- Depression and withdrawal
- Being fixated on watching a lot of TV and reading everything published in the media. What you see might also get muddled up with what you have previously experienced.
Self-help and advice after experiencing a traumatic event
- Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep, eat normally and take care of your daily routines.
- Spend time with your loved ones. Talk to the people you trust.
- Avoid watching too much TV and reading too much in the media.
- Limit the amount of impressions – for example via social media.
- Physical activity is important for mental health. Take a walk or exercise, preferably together with someone you enjoy spending time with.
There are self-help tools available that may be useful if you struggle with for example sleep. See the SMART app - RVTS Øst (rvtsost.no, in Norwegian).
Seek help
If your experience has a major impact on your everyday life, please seek medical help. See your GP if you experience persistent sleeping difficulties, physical pain or if you spend a lot of time thinking about painful life events. Your GP can give you a referral to a specialist if you require additional help.