1. Critical Incident Stress
Stages of Recovery

2. What is Critical Incident Stress?
A natural reaction of a normal person to an abnormal event. Such an extraordinary event can produce physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral responses immediately or delayed.

3. Physical Symptoms Fatigue Sleep disturbance Appetite disruption
Muscle tremors
Hyper vigilance
Startle response
Rapid heart rate
Sweating/chills
Gastrointestinal distress
Sexual dysfunction
Difficulty breathing
Dizziness
Headaches
Grinding of the teeth

4. Cognitive Symptoms Memory Impairment Intrusive thoughts
Anomia (word loss)
Difficulty making decisions
Hypervigilance
Poor attention span
Poor concentration
Nightmares
Mental confusion
Disorientation of time, place or person

5. Emotional Symptoms Anxiety Fear Depression Irritability Grief Panic
Apprehension
Frustration
Hopelessness
Suspicion
Guilt
Numbness
Intense anger
Overwhelmed

6. Behavioral Withdrawal Pacing Unable to rest Speech pattern change
Tremors
Antisocial acts
Emotional outbursts
Increase use of substance or compulsive behavior
Hyper alert to environment

7. Stages of Trauma Recovery
Shock
Denial
Disruption
Reintegration

8. Shock Normal protective reaction Feel stunned or dazed
Stress response (flight or fight)
Automatic pilot

9. Denial Normal protective reaction Disconnected from event
Feels like your in a movie
“I can’t believe….”, “It’s not happening”
Replay scene or watch repeatedly on T.V.

10. Disruption Can no longer deny reality Initial stress response waning
May have onset of symptoms
Loss becomes more prevalent including loss of routine, perception of safety
Flashbacks
Return to previous stages for short periods

11. Reintegration Proof that “time heals”
Able to make sense of event or apply meaning to it
Symptoms abate
Return to routine
Generate positive, life changing behaviors

12. Points to Remember
We go through a normal process. It is the event that is abnormal.
If possible do not make major decisions during this time.
Seek professional help to assist through process or manage symptoms especially sleep and appetite disturbance.
While you can’t speed up recovery time, you can delay it. Watch use of substances.