Disasters of any kind are often sudden and overwhelming for the majority of people and resources to cope with. Look at the undersea earthquake and tsunami that overwhelmed northern Japan. That is a good example of thousands of people who were inflicted with extreme trauma and disaster. Since most people do not ever see the need to gain a deeper understanding of emotional injury and attendant reactions, because that knowledge is extremely helpful, most are not prepared to deal with it. Getting some kind of professional help in that kind of situation can make a big difference. When the affected person recognizes that something is wrong within them and understands there is something they can do about it, they gain the upper hand.
Be prepared for an immediate reaction in some form if your child has suffered a traumatic and extremely stressful event. It is important to contact a professional if you aren't sure of what to expect. One professional to talk to could be your family doctor who would be able to offer guidance and recommendations. You may see your child exhibiting common reactions immediately or very soon after the traumatic event happens.
That is the reason arranging professional guidance needs to be done right away. With the assistance of a trained psychologist, you can learn to help your child through the ordeal and the psychologist will help your child deal with the stress reactions.
If you are an adult who has experienced acute stress that is unusually extreme, then you need to know there are positive ways to deal with it. You haven't lost the ability to retain some degree of control over your life. One of the first things to learn is that some of the emotions you might be experiencing may seem overly intense. Because of the nature of the stress,you could find yourself having stress reactions to normal situations. Accepting what has happened as well as learning what types of reactions you might have is important. So that you can understand what is happening inside you, awareness is very important. Dealing with acute stress, anxiety or trauma can be a tricky situation depending on many factors. While we may or may not see symptoms of reactions, we think the early stage phase is the most important. To help them get through the ordeal, it is very helpful if that person has caring and supportive people that are willing to help. The most effective approach for a person is also includes an ongoing long term strategy for coping.
