Anyone can become a victim
of a crime. If it happens to you or someone you love, here are some
important points to remember:
Being a victim of a crime
can be a very difficult and stressful experience, but most people
are naturally resilient and over time will find ways to cope and
adjust. There is a wide range of after effects to a trauma. One
person may experience many of the effects, a few, or none at all.
Not everyone has the same reaction. In some people the reaction
may be delayed days, weeks, or even months.
Some victims may think
they are "going crazy," when they are having a normal
reaction to an abnormal event.
Getting back to normal
can be a difficult process after a personal experience of this kind,
especially for victims of violent crime and families of murder victims.
Learning to understand and feel more at ease with the intense feelings
can help victims better cope with what happened.
Victims may need to seek
help whether it be from friends, family, a member of the clergy,
a counselor, or a victim assistance professional.
Some after effects
of trauma
Some people who have been victims of crime may experience some of
these symptoms. Seek medical advice if the symptoms persist.
Physical
Nausea; Tremors; Chills or sweating; Lack of coordination; Heart
palpitations or chest pains; High blood pressure; Headaches; Sleep
disturbances; Stomach upset; Dizziness; Loss of appetite; Startled
responses
Emotional
Anxiety; Fear; Guilt; Grief; Depression; Sadness; Anger; Irritability;
Numbness; Feeling lost, abandoned, and isolated; Wanting to withdraw
or hide
Mental
Slowed thinking; Confusion; Disorientation; Memory problems; Intrusive
memories or flashbacks; Nightmares; Inability to concentrate; Difficulty
in making decisions
Tips for coping:
These are some ideas that may help victims cope:
1. Find someone
to talk with about how you feel and what you are going through.
Keep the phone number of a good friend nearby to call when you feel
overwhelmed or feel panicked.
2. Allow yourself to feel the pain.
3. Keep a journal.
4. Spend time with others but make time to spend time alone.
5. Take care of your mind and body. Rest, sleep, and eat regular
healthy meals.
6. Re-establish a normal routine as soon as possible but
don't over-do.
7. Making daily decisions, which will help to bring back
a feeling of control over your life.
8. Exercise, though not excessively and alternate with periods
of relaxation.
9. Undertake daily tasks with care. Accidents are more likely
to happen after severe stress.
10. Recall the things that helped you cope with trying times
and loss in the past and think about the things that give you hope.
Turn to them on bad days.
Things to avoid:
11. Be careful about using alcohol or drugs to relieve emotional
pain. Becoming addicted not only postpones healing but creates new
problems.
12. Make daily decisions, but be careful to avoid making
life changing decisions in the immediate aftermath since judgment
may be temporarily impaired.
13. Don't blame yourself it wasn't your fault.
14. Your emotions need to be expressed. Try not to bottle
them up.
For some victims and
families of victims, life is forever changed. Life may feel empty
and hollow. Life doesn't "mean" what it used to. Part
of coping and adjusting is redefining the future. What seemed important
before may not be important now. Many victims find new meaning in
their lives as a result of their experience. It is important to
remember that emotional pain is not endless, and that it will eventually
ease. It is impossible to undo what has happened but life can be
good again in time.
For family and
friends of a victim of crime:
15. Listen carefully.
16. Spend time with the victim.
17. Offer your assistance even if they haven't asked for
help.
18. Help with everyday tasks like cleaning, cooking, caring
for the family, minding the children.
19. Give them private time.
20. Don't take their anger or other feelings personally.
21. Don't tell them they are "lucky it wasn't worse"
traumatized people are not consoled by such statements.
22. Instead, tell them that you are sorry such an event has
occurred to them and you want to understand and help them.
|