Everyone experiences crisis at some points during life. Examples of crisis or trauma situations include deaths, natural disasters, violent crime, sexual assault and abuse, the aftermath of suicide, threats to public health, or campus or domestic violence. People may also experience trauma indirectly. For example, bystanders, friends or roommates of victims, family members, or public safety personnel who work with disaster or trauma victims may also be affected.

Each person responds to crisis or disaster differently. It is important though, to understand the potential reactions that accompany crisis and to know how to care of yourself during times of extreme stress.

Typical Responses to Crisis

Emotional Responses

• Shock or denial
• Anger or irritability
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Depression
• Fear and anxiety
• Mood changes
• Numbness
• Guilt
• Grief

Behavioral Responses

• Changes in activity level
• Social withdrawal or isolation
• Restlessness, agitation or pacing
• Eating or appetite changes
• Sleep disturbance/insomnia
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs

• Inability to relax

Cognitive Responses

• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty making decisions
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dreams or nightmares of the event
• Confusion
• "Flashbacks" of crisis event
• Self-doubt

Physical Responses

• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Headaches and/or back pain
• GI distress, nausea, vomiting
• Muscle tension
• Trembling
• Rapid heart beat
• Sweating or chills
• Dizziness
• Exaggerated startle response
• Weakness

Steps You Need to Take if Symptoms are Significant

• Symptoms are usually significant when they interfere with usual activities, change behavior in significant ways, or they persist for more than two weeks.
• Seek medical advice for any physical symptoms that are new especially if you are having health problems and have not had a medical evaluation for these symptoms.
• If you are unable to escape feelings of panic, guilt, depression or stress, or these symptoms are extreme or prolonged, contact a professional mental health provider for advice.
• Seek help or advice from a qualified mental health professional if a child or an adult begins thinking or feeling guilty or suicidal.

Tips for Coping and Self-care

• Reach out and make contact with others.
• Talk with friends and loved ones.
• Recognize and accept your feelings as "normal" responses to extreme circumstances.
• Express your feelings appropriately; keep a journal to help in the process.
• Structure your time.
• Maintain your usual schedule as much as you can.
• Get extra rest and set aside time to relax.
• Eat regular balanced meals even if you don't feel hungry.
• Exercise or participate in some regular physical activity.
• Delay major decisions or changes in your life.
• Avoid excessive use of alcohol or drugs.
• Contact the Counseling Center at 617-573-8226, or a mental health professional, if symptoms persist.

How to Support a Friend In Crisis

• Reach out and spend time with the person in crisis.
• Make time to talk, encourage the person to express his/her feelings, and listen.
• Respect the person's need to spend time alone, too.
• Help with everyday tasks where possible...run errands, share a meal, pick up mail, care for a pet, etc.
• Don't try to offer false cheer or "fix things"...listening non-judgmentally to another is a powerful form of support.
• Help the person connect with supportive resources on campus and in the community.
• Encourage the person to contact the counseling center or seek professional help when appropriate.
• Take care of yourself and know your own limits.
• Don't tell them that they are "lucky it wasn't worse"-traumatized people are not consoled by those statements. Instead, tell them that you are sorry such an event has occurred and you want to understand and assist them.

Understanding the Grieving Process

Impact of Loss: The Grieving Process

When a loved one/classmate is dying or dies, there is a grieving process. Recovery is a slow and emotionally painful one. The grieving process can be less painful if you try to understand that loss and grief is a natural part of life. Learn to accept your loss and believe in yourself. Believe that you
can cope with tragic happenings. Let your experience be a psychological growth process that will help you to deal with future stressful events.

The grieving process usually consists of the following stages. Note that not everyone goes through all these stages.

• Denial and Shock
  At first, it may be difficult for you to accept your own dying or the death of a loved one/classmate. As a result you will deny the reality of death. However, this denial will gradually diminish as you begin to express and share your feelings about death and dying with other students or friends.
• Anger
  During this stage the most common question asked is "why me?". You are angry at what you perceive to be the unfairness of death and you may project and displace your anger unto others. When given some social support and respect, you will eventually become less angry and able to move into the next stage of grieving.
• Bargaining
  Many students try to bargain with some sort of deity. They probably try to bargain and offer to give up an enjoyable part of their lives in exchange for the return of health or the lost person.
• Guilt
  You may find yourself feeling guilty for things you did or didn't do prior to the loss. Forgive yourself. Accept your humanness.
• Depression
  You may at first experience a sense of great loss. Mood fluctuations and feelings of isolation and withdrawal may follow. It takes time for you, the grieving student, to gradually return to your old self and become socially involved in what's going on around you. Please note that encouragement and reassurance to the bereaved student will not be helpful in this stage.
• Loneliness
  As you go through changes in your social life because of the loss, you may feel lonely and afraid. The more you are able to reach out to others and make new friends, the more this feeling lessens.
• Acceptance
  Acceptance does not mean happiness. Instead you accept and deal with the reality of the situation.
• Hope
  Eventually you will reach a point where remembering will be less painful and you can begin to look ahead to the future and more good times.

Ways to Cope with Death and Dying

• Discuss feelings such as loneliness, anger, and sadness openly and honestly with other students, instructors and family members.
• Maintain hope.
• If your religious convictions are important to you, talk to a member of the clergy about your beliefs and feelings.
• Join a support group.
• Take good care of yourself.
• Eat well-balanced meals.
• Get plenty of rest.

• Be patient with yourself. It takes time to heal. Some days will be better than others.

Ways to Help a Bereaved Student

• Be supportive but do not attempt to give encouragement and reassurance when a student is in the depressed stage of grieving. It will not be helpful.
• Talk openly and honestly about the situation unless the student does not want to.
• Use an appropriate, caring conversational tone of voice.
• Show that you care.
• Listen attentively and show interest in what the grieving student has to say about his/her feelings and beliefs.
• Share your feelings and talk about any similar experience you may have had.
• Avoid using the phrase "I know just how you feel."
• If symptoms of depression are very severe or persistent and the grieving student is not coping with day to day activities encourage that student to get professional help.

Selected Campus Resources

• Counseling Center, 73 Tremont Street, 5th Floor (617.573.8226)
• Campus Ministry / Interfaith Center, Donahue 540 (617.573.8325)
• Student Activities, Donahue 535 (617.573.8320)
• Student Affairs, 73 Tremont Street, 12th Floor (617.573.8239)
• Health Services, 73 Tremont Street, 5th Floor (617.573.8260)
• Athletics, Ridgeway 205 (617.573.8379)
• Center for International Student Advising, 73 Tremont Street, 6th Floor (617.573.8154)
• Ballotti Learning Center, Donahue 208 (617.573.8235)
• Office of Multicultural Affairs, Archer 481 (617.573.8613)
• Office of Residence Life, 150 Tremont St., (617.305.2500)
• Student Government Association, Donahue 4th Floor, (617.573.8322)
• Graduate Student Association, Donahue 535, (617.573.8320)
• Suffolk University Police, Donahue 1st Floor, (617.573.8111)
• Second Language Services, 73 Tremont Street, 5th Floor, (617.573.8677)

Information was adapted from the following resources:

• Mary Washington College / Psychological Services Center, "Coping With Crisis and Disaster"
• "Coping and Surviving Violent and Traumatic Events" by Michael G. Conner, Psy.D.
• International Critical Incident Stress Foundation, Inc.
• The Counseling Center, State University of New York at Buffalo 
  
  (revised 06/21/11)