| When we hear Critical Incident Stress | | | | would be an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), |
| Management we often think of Emergency | | | | a church leader, or information sources similar to |
| Personnel and the trauma that they experience. | | | | the phone book and the Internet, under Critical |
| Even if you are not an emergency worker you | | | | Incident Stress Management. When we |
| can still experience a Critical Incident. | | | | experience a Critical Incident it is crucial that we |
| A Critical Incident may be defined as a traumatic | | | | seek someone that is trained in responding to a |
| event that affects a person's ability to cope with | | | | Critical Incident because it is not therapy, it is an |
| normal life. For example, with emergency | | | | educational process that assists us in overcoming |
| personnel they deal with death, injury, or dying in | | | | any signs and symptoms we may be |
| a very gruesome way and then they may have | | | | experiencing. Therefore, when we seek help it is |
| some signs and symptoms like the inability to | | | | very wise to seek someone trained in Critical |
| sleep, the inability to remove the gruesome image | | | | Incident Stress Management. |
| from their mind, or they may experience | | | | After you seek help, know that whatever |
| depression, anger, or withdrawal. These events | | | | negative signs or symptoms you are experiencing |
| would most likely obstruct a person's ability to | | | | are probably very normal. The critical incident or |
| function in every day life. Everyone reacts | | | | trauma that you experienced is quite possibly not |
| differently so a Critical Incident is most likely to be | | | | normal for a person to observe and therefore |
| defined by the person's reaction. | | | | you may be affected. |
| Some Critical Incidents that may occur for | | | | In addition to seeking help we can take an active |
| individuals that are not emergency personnel are | | | | roll in taking care of ourselves for instance, eat |
| witnessing a robbery gone bad, violence in the | | | | right, exercise, and get plenty of rest. Also, be |
| work place, someone dying in the workplace, or a | | | | conscious of not increasing any addiction to |
| traumatic event in the workplace. Some critical | | | | caffeine, cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs. And finally, |
| incidents may also occur outside the place of | | | | talk to someone close to you. It won't be |
| work for example, a witnessed accident that | | | | necessary to share the gory details, basically don't |
| causes death, dismemberment, or shocking | | | | keep it inside because it may eat you up. |
| images, witnessing a violent act, or watching | | | | Caution, if you do not seek help your signs and |
| someone die or be murdered. | | | | symptoms may linger longer than necessary and |
| If you have experienced a traumatic event and | | | | your ability to function in every day life may be |
| you are having a difficult time dealing with it you | | | | drastically affected. When signs and symptoms |
| may be suffering from a Critical Incident If you | | | | remain they may eventually become who you are |
| are experiencing a Critical Incident it is very | | | | and if you can't take care of yourself then you |
| important that you seek help. Some places to go | | | | cannot take care of anyone else. |