The Impact of Trauma

Apr 28, 2015

I’m sure many of you have heard about the earthquake that has just happened in Nepal. I am shocked and saddened to see what has happened as the death toll rises in the thousands and nearly eight million people have been affected,

When a tragedy like this happens, the effects go far beyond just physical damage. As the people wait for aid and workers start to clear up the rubble, those in Nepal and also around the world watching are without doubt suffering from the after effects.  It is absolutely normal to feel shock, anger and grief when your house and your livelihood have been ripped apart or you have lost loved ones. It’s also very human to feel those feelings as you watch the disaster on the news – I know that I have felt fear, shock and sadness as I watched the stress and anxiety of others in reports on TV.

If you check in to see how you feel when you hear of such things or see them on media reports, it’s not uncommon to start to feel stress and tension in your body. You may find yourself short of breath, easily irritated and anxious. You can start to worry about those close to you, what would happen if a disaster like that happened in the UK and how you would cope.

This is also known as “Secondary Traumatic Stress” which can happen when an individual hears about the first hand trauma experiences of another.  Its symptoms mimic those of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). People may find themselves re-experiencing personal trauma or notice an increase in arousal and avoidance reactions related to the indirect trauma exposure.

Using TRE in these experiences can be incredibly useful to release the tension and help bring equilibrium to the body and mind. I work with people in emergency services and have seen incredible results using the very simple technique.