Traumatic Stress Awareness
Remember the last significant critical incident to which you were exposed. Using the list below, indicate which symptoms you experienced, if any, and how long they persisted.
- Nightmares (more than once a week)
- Difficulty sleeping
- Intrusive memories (more than once a day)
- Flashbacks
- Fear and/or avoidance of similar situations
- Avoidance of people or things that remind you of the critical incident
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Anger or hostility
- Stress-related physical complaints
- Withdrawal from usual activities
- Feeling "numb" or detached
- Depressed mood
- Feeling guilty
- Feeling anxious
- Feeling as though the world no longer "makes sense"
- Questioning religious values
- Hyper-vigilance
- Exaggerated startle response
- Difficulty remembering the critical incident
Any of the following symptoms may indicate the need for emotional support or medical evaluation. When in doubt, contact a physician.
Physical
- Chills
- Thirst
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Fainting
- Rapid heart rate
- Chest pain
- Profuse sweating
- Difficulty breathing
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Twitches
- Muscle tremors
- Grinding of teeth
- Visual difficulties
- Elevated blood pressure
- Shock symptoms
Cognitive
- Hyper-vigilance
- Blaming someone
- Suspiciousness
- Uncertainty
- Confusion
- Disorientation of time, place, or person
- Poor concentration or memory
- Difficulty identifying objects or person
- Poor problem solving
- Poor abstract thinking
- Heightened or lowered alertness
- Increased or decreased awareness of surroundings
- Nightmares
- Intrusive images
Emotional
- Fear
- Apprehension
- Anxiety
- Panic
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Guilt
- Grief
- Emotional shock
- Depression
- Denial
- Agitation
- Irritability
- Intense anger
- Loss of emotional control
- Inappropriate emotional response
- Emotional outbursts
Behavioral
- Increased alcohol consumption
- Loss or increase of appetite
- Inability to rest
- Intensified pacing
- Erratic movements
- Hyper-alert to environment
- Withdrawal
- Antisocial acts
- Change in social activity
- Change in speech patterns
- Change in usual communications