Coping with Secondary/Vicarious Trauma

Health professionals have long understood the impact of indirect exposure to traumatic events. With the increase in media coverage of traumatic events, the general population are also learning about the impact of vicarious/secondary traumatization. If you find that you are becoming upset after viewing/hearing about/or reading about a traumatic event (e.g., war, terrorism, etc.), you may want to review the information on this page.

Common Reactions to Trauma:

Feelings:

• Fear

• sadness

• horror

• helplessness

• anger

• emotional numbness

• mood swings

• grief

• guilt

• anxiety

Thinking:

• Recurrent, upsetting thoughts

• Ruminative thoughts about traumatic event

• Nightmares

• Flashbacks

• Difficulty concentrating

• Confusion

• Forgetfulness

 

Behavior:

• Changes in sleep patterns

• Changes in appetite

• Loss of energy

• Withdrawing socially

• Increased use of alcohol/drugs

• Restlessness, agitation, and/or difficulty relaxing

• GI distress, nausea, and/or vomiting

• Dizziness, rapid heart beat, trembling, muscle tension, and or increased startle response

• Difficulty meeting school/work/social responsibilities

 

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