Dealing With Sudden Shock or Loss: Post Traumatic Syndrome

What Causes Post Traumatic Syndrome On

We all feel that the world is stable and secure, that sudden change and loss will not happen, at least not to those or us we know. When the world as we know it suddenly changes and the impossible happens, not only can we experience shock and trauma, but our normal anchors can disappear. Confusion arises, numbness and sometimes a sense of helplessness.

We may fear for our continuing safety and the safety of those we love, and not know where to turn for a sense of true stability. At this juncture issues we may not have faced or dealt with arise strongly.

What Happens In Post Traumatic Syndrome

It takes time to absorb sudden changes and individuals react in different ways. For some the need arises, to maintain stability at all costs. They may go into denial, and seem to not register what’s going on. These individuals go on with their lives as though nothing has changed. However, they are unconsciously processing what has happened, taking time to absorb it all. By pretending that nothing has changed they are simply doing their best to maintain the semblance of normalcy. At this point they ear that they will be overwhelmed if they allow themselves to feel anything at all. When the individual feels more able to deal with his feelings, or when the danger has passed and they feel safer, the buried feelings begin to come up.

Post traumatic syndrome simply means that the feelings a person has repressed during trauma are now arising. These feelings have been caused by the trauma and arise when the person feels able to tolerate their fear, grief, anger, pain and helplessness. Some are able to do it sooner, for others it can even take years. The feelings may hit at any moment and when they do the person may not understand what is happening. Seemingly out of the blue a person can start shaking, crying, or going into rage. Anything can tick it off, even something seemingly unrelated. But, it is the reaction to the original trauma that is now being released.


How To Handle Post Traumatic Syndrome

A) Understand What Is Happening – It Is Normal

It helps a great deal, first of all, to understand what is going on. Some people become terrified that they are going crazy, or losing control. Just realizing that it is perfectly normal for these feelings to be discharged will help a great deal. Do not fear your feelings, you are simply finally reacting to the shock you’ve been through.

B) Do Not Be Ashamed – Do Not Resist Feelings

Allow yourself to feel what is going on, breathe deeply through the feelings, and allow them to pass. Let go. Do not try to control the feelings. They are only energy that is now being released. These feelings are simply a response to what you have been through; they do not mean that something is wrong with you. When they arise be gentle with yourself, kind and patient. When these feelings are not resisted, they pass more easily.

C) Express Love, Warmth and Solidarity

It helps to be with those you love and care for. Friendship, bonding and love are wonderful antidotes for the feeling of meaningless and danger. Hug each other, express your love, know that although part of the world has crumbled, a great deal of good remains. There is stability in the love you can now share with others. Don’t hold back.

D) Do What You Can To Help

Reach out to others in anyway you can. Make a call to a loved one, write a note, go to lunch with a friend. Take some time to be quiet or go to a place you love in nature. Allow yourself to absorb both your feelings and the events that are going on.

E) Prayer, Silence And Meditation

Of course, the deepest sense of security and stability comes from one’s connection to a Higher Power, or one’s Higher Self. This is an important time to connect with that which is ultimately meaningful to you. Spend time in prayer, silence, contemplation or meditation; know that you are looked after and that there is a larger purpose in all that goes on.

Starting The Journey

This work is not about illness, but about the journey through illness to our essential health. Illness and health recur continuously and yet we are not free to live fully until we finish dealing with our fear of change and loss. We are not free to love fully or to extend a truly helping hand until we are able to let go of that which we cherish the most.

Most of the time we live with the belief that all will stay just as it is. When illness comes we are shocked for a moment out of our stupor. We see that time may not be endless and that right now we must say what has to be said, and do what has to be done.

Many, many questions arise in our minds when someone close to us is seriously ill. It takes awhile to realize that these questions do not have one answer. They have many answers and may have different impacts on us at different times.

In a sense a finger is being pointed in our direction. These questions are demanding a response from us. Life itself is demanding a reply.

The journey through illness is the journey to find an answer. Here are the ways some of the questions can be asked:

Why did this happen?
What is the cause of my suffering?
How is suffering truly relieved?
What is the best way through serious illness and beyond?

This work is dedicating to discovering our questions and learning how to be with them in a new way. It is dedicated to finding our own unique answers and living them fully. This may also be called the path of our own inner knowing.

Often we run from the pain of this matter into forgetfulness. When pain comes we offer drugs. Instead of offering ourselves, we offer denial. We may not have ourselves to offer. Indeed we may be running away from what is needed most.

But if we stop running, even for a little while, we can see that the true comfort will come from understanding and being available. The real healing comes from truth. And, as we learn to listen closely, we find that the illness itself has a teaching, it's there to be learned from and listened to.

This work is offered so that in the face of illness and loss we may become steady and simple and learn how to extend a truly helping hand.