Witnessing or being involved in a traumatic incident on the railway can be distressing and may affect your mental health. You may experience new thoughts, feelings or behaviours that are worrying for you.
How this experience affects you will vary from person to person, but it’s important to understand that it’s normal to feel this way. If you’re feeling low or struggling to cope and you’d like to talk it through, you can contact us.
Could you be suffering from trauma?
Below is a list of common trauma symptoms that people involved in traumatic incidents may experience in the days, weeks or months after the incident. Everyone reacts differently and it’s important to note that these symptoms are a perfectly normal reaction.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you can speak to your GP about them, or NHS 111 offers health advice in the UK and is free from landlines and mobiles.
Other organisations such as the mental health charity Mind offer useful information on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) including tips for self-care.
Common trauma symptoms:
- Upsetting thoughts or memories about the event that have come into your mind against your will
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Upsetting dreams about the event
- Irritability or outbursts of anger
- Acting or feeling as though the event were happening again
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling upset by reminders of the event
- Heightened awareness of potential dangers to yourself and others
- Bodily reactions (such as fast heartbeat, stomach churning, sweatiness, dizziness) when reminded of the event
- Being jumpy or being startled at something unexpected.
Source: Brewin, C.R., Rose, S., Andrews, B., Green, J., Tata, P., McEvedy, C., Turner, S. & Foa, E. B. (2002) Brief screening instrument for post-traumatic stress disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry, 181, 158-162.
If you’re worried about someone else
Sometimes we want to be there for someone but don't know how to start. We recommend that if you're worried about someone, you try talking to them. Here's our advice on how to help someone open up about how they’re feeling.
