In the first days and weeks after a traumatic event, people often experience strong feelings of fear, sadness, guilt, anger, or grief. As they begin to make sense of what has happened to them, these feelings usually begin to subside. Most people will recover quite quickly with the support of family and friends. For some people though, a traumatic event can lead to mental health issues such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug use, as well as impacting on their relationships with family, friends, and at work.

FEATURE LINKS

PTSD [link to Recovery – Effects of trauma – PTSD]

After the experience of a traumatic event, a person suffering PTSD will experience four main types of problems.

Depression [link to Recovery – Effects of trauma – Depression]

Depression is a common reaction after trauma.

Anxiety [link to article on Anxiety]

Many people experience extreme worry, fear and anxiety both during and after a traumatic event.

Alcohol and Substance use [link to article on Alcohol and Drugs]

Alcohol and drugs may help block out painful emotions and memories in the short term, but they get in the way of recovery.

Life and Relationships [link to article on Life and Relationships]

Mental health problems resulting from a traumatic event can have a significant impact on family, social and work life.