Coping with a stressful event

What's going on?

There are many events that can be categorised as stressful. Examples of these are being involved in or witnessing an accident, being a victim of or witnessing abuse or violence, or losing someone close to you. Any stressful event can have an influence on how you feel emotionally.

After a stressful event it is normal to feel some stress, anxiety, sadness or to be afraid and it can take time for you to adjust to a lifestyle you are comfortable with again.

If your experience causes you to have flashbacks of the event, have bad dreams, lose your of appetite, lack sleep or become distant from day to day activities you may want to consult your doctor or a counsellor. Check out the Who can help you section for more information about what these people can do for you.

What can I do?

It is important that you deal with the feelings and reactions you are having so that they don't become overwhelming. Here are some things that may be helpful:

1. Paint it! - This is an another way of letting go of your feelings. Here you can draw a picture or image, which may help to express what is going on for you.

2. Keeping a diary - It may help to keep a diary where you can write down your feelings, as well as anything else that you wish to write about.

3. Talking to someone - Sometimes bottling your thoughts inside you can make the reactions worse. It may be helpful to talk to a friend or family member about the event and what you are feeling. It may also be helpful for you to share your feelings with someone who was involved in the event.

4. Seeking help - Your local doctor, clinical psychologist, counsellor or youth worker will be able to help you with strategies to cope with your feelings and reactions. If things are really bad and if appropriate then they can give you medication, which will assist in calming you. Check out the Who can help you section for more information on what these services can do for you.

Getting help

You can find details for your local doctor in the beyondblue Directory of Medical and Allied Health Practitioners - they can give you a referral to a psychologist or a psychiatrist if appropriate.

For other people you can talk to, check out the Who can help you section.