What is a Critical Incident?
Any situation faced by employees, volunteer workers, or students that
causes them to experience unusually strong emotional reactions which
have the potentail to interfere with their ability to function either
at the scene of the incident or later...all that is necessary is that
the incident, regardless of the type, generates unusually strong feelings
in the person involved. Dr. Jeff Mitchell, ICISF (International Critical
Incident Stress Foundation)
What are some stress indicators?
- Irritability
- Sleep disturbances: nightmares, insomnia
- Increase or decrease in appetite; weight loss or gain
-Anxiety, guilt, grief, denial
- Intrusive thoughts - flashbacks of events
- Alcohol or drug use
- Personality or behavioral changes
- Vomiting, headaches, chest pain, back pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Shock symptoms
- Fatigue, depression, apathy
- Development of irrational fears / phobias
- Lack of focus or concentration
How can I cope with stress?
1. Maintain your regular activities as closely as possible
2. Eat balanced meals at regular intervals (even if you don't feel like
it)
3. Avoid or minimize use of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol
4. Talk about the stressful incident and seek help as needed.
5. Get plenty of rest.
6. Follow a regular exercise program: 30 minutes 3 - 4 times per week
(with your doctor's approval)
7. Spend time with people who support and understand you.
8. Keep a journal and write about your reactions and feelings.
9. Relax, Meditate, Pray.
10. Decrease or modify your workload for awhile.
11. Increase your leisure time - do something you enjoy.
12. Learn something new.
13. Focus on little signs of progress, not the setbacks.
14. Be gentle with yourself - healing takes time.