If you have experienced a crime, or a traumatic situation, your body may be experiencing a traumatic response.
You may have heard of Fight-or-Flight response - which is when hormones are released by your body that enable you to protect yourself, or to run away from something dangerous. These hormones are designed to help us - and they often do. But sometimes, if we can't fight or run away, these hormones can make our body do things that aren't helpful to us. Sometimes we may experience things such as -
- Difficulty sleeping
- Difficulty concentrating
- Anger
- Fear
- Difficulty breathing or a feeling of fast heart rate
- Difficulty eating or feeling nauseated
These things can be a normal part of the traumatic experience that you've just had. Talking about them with someone who you trust, can help you deal with these feelings.
Another response to a traumatic event is the Freeze response. This is when the fight-or-flight response gets 'put on hold' and your body and mind become still and immobile while you wait for an opportunity to protect yourself.
All three of these responses can be normal reactions to a traumatic event. If you have questions about the way that you are feeling after a crime or traumatic event, a Victim Service advocate can assist you in finding a way to cope with those feelings.