Ambulance 912HAP 9252
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Traumatic experiences

After a traumatic experience, you may feel easily startled, tense, low, numb or overwhelmed. Many early reactions are normal responses to an abnormal event, but sometimes symptoms persist or increase. Prompt help is needed if you are no longer safe, think about suicide, hardly sleep, become severely confused or can no longer function.

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  • After a traumatic experience, your body and mind may stay on alert. You may have flashbacks, sleep problems, tension, numbness, low mood or physical symptoms.
  • Many reactions in the early period are normal responses to an abnormal event. They do not mean that you are making a fuss or are weak.
  • Not everyone wants or needs to tell their story in detail immediately. Forcing someone, repeatedly pressing for answers or imposing an immediate 'debriefing session' does not help everyone.
  • What is needed first is often safety, rest, support, sleep and a clearer sense of the situation. Targeted help may only become truly useful after that.
  • For immediate danger, severe psychological distress that leaves you unable to cope or suicide risk, seek help immediately through your usual GP (family doctor), HAP 9252, the out-of-hours GP service, or Ambulance 912 in an immediate life-threatening emergency.

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Further reading

Browse A–Z
F
ForgetfulnessForgetting things easily can relate to stress, lack of sleep, mood, medicines or physical illness, but sometimes to a memory disorder. Sudden confusion is different and needs prompt assessment.
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Distressing birth experienceGiving birth can feel physically or emotionally traumatic, even if others say everything went well. Recovery needs acknowledgement, checks for physical problems and trauma-focused help if needed.
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PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)PTSD can develop after a distressing or threatening event and causes reliving of events, avoidance, negative mood and constant vigilance. The event is never the victim's fault; effective trauma-focused treatments are available.