Have you found yourself getting upset by distressing or frightening events? Or maybe you’re feeling distraught after watching news coverage or scrolling through social media?
Recent events at Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne ‘s CBD have shone a light on trauma and how everyone – including those with no direct connection to the tragedy – can be affected.
One study completed after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings found that people who watched more than six hours of daily media coverage of the event were more likely to experience symptoms of acute stress than those directly affected by the bombings.
VicHealth state that it’s normal to have strong emotional or physical reactions following a distressing event and that these reactions can temporarily disrupt your ability to function in day-to-day life.
Reactions to trauma will differ between individuals. Common signs include feeling like you’re in a state of shock or on high alert for anything else that might happen, an increase in emotions, fatigue and anxiety, or intrusive and stressful thoughts like “it could have been me”.
These reactions typically ease up as part of the body’s natural healing and recovery process.
To make the process easier, we’ve put together a list of tips that will help you get through your day-to-day life and allow you to keep functioning to the best of your ability.
1. Spend time with friends and family
SANE Australia reports that distress and trauma can be isolating as people often get wrapped up in their own thoughts and worries.
Avoid isolation by spending time with friends, family and loved ones. Don’t feel like you have to discuss the distressing event – you don’t. Of course, you can if you feel it will help, but the important thing here is to surround yourself with people who care. Even a phone call to your family can be reassuring in times of trauma.
2. Do activities that bring you joy
You may be feeling like the world is crashing down around you, try and combat these feelings by engaging in self-care.
Self-care is an important tool during difficult times. Do activities that bring you joy or surround yourself with positive items, like your favourite food, books, TV shows, or hobbies.
Any activity that helps you feel a slightly better or distracts you from your thoughts is a great activity!
3. Stay informed but limit media coverage
Distressing events often come with increased media coverage. Whilst this may help some people deal with their emotions, it can also affect people negatively.
A recent study reported in Harvard Business review found that people who view negative news in the morning are 27 per cent more likely to report feeling unhappy or depressed six to eight hours later.
If round the clock news coverage is affecting your health, consider controlling how much you view and read across the coming weeks. You can do this by switching off from social media, or watching other programs instead of the nightly news.
Don’t feel guilty for reducing your news intake. It doesn’t mean you don’t care about the tragedy. Sometimes you just have to put yourself first.
4. Remind yourself that good things happen too
Don’t allow yourself to sink into a negative-only mindset. Remind yourself that even though a distressing event has occurred, good things happen all the time.
