Trauma Related Stress: Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of critical incident and cumulative stress are similar in some ways – partly by-products of adrenalin – and pertly psychological and physical. This adrenalin response is good for dealing with emergencies, but there are serious side effects as well.

There are three groups of symptoms:

Events re-experienced:

• Intrusive thoughts, memories

• Dreams

• Flashbacks

• Distress at something that symbolises the trauma

Hyper-arousal

• Sleep problems

• Anger outbursts, irritability

• Trouble concentrating

• Hypervigilence

• Exaggerated responses

• Physiological reactivity at symbolic event

Avoidance or Numbing

• Avoid associated thoughts/feelings

• Avoid activities that trigger memories

• Can't remember important parts of trauma

• Not able to have fun as usual

• Detachment from others

• Unable to have loving feelings

• Foreshortened future