The symptoms of psychological trauma can vary from person to person and occur on a spectrum of severity. Here are some common short, medium, and long-term symptoms:
Short-term symptoms:
- Shock, disbelief, or numbness
- Fear, anxiety, or panic
- Anger, irritability, or mood swings
- Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
- Physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomach problems
Medium-term symptoms:
- Intrusive thoughts or flashbacks
- Avoidance of triggers or reminders
- Emotional detachment or feeling emotionally numb
- Feelings of guilt or shame
- Social withdrawal or isolation
Long-term symptoms:
- Chronic anxiety or depression
- Chronic pain or other physical symptoms
- Substance abuse or addiction
- Difficulty with personal relationships
- Difficulty with work performance or job satisfaction
It’s important to seek professional help if you experience any of these symptoms. A mental health professional can provide a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan to help you manage the symptoms and work towards recovery. Increased feelings of compassion fatigue, can lead to being more vulnerable to burnout, which means an individual might experience some situations as morally injurious.
While moral injury is not a mental health condition, it can be a precursor to experiencing an event as traumatic. Therefore, developing skills to identify, prevent and manage symptoms before they escalate can benefit you to have a fulfilling medical career.