Staff Incident Support Service
Staff Incident Support Service
Coping with a serious incident at work
This information will help you understand and cope with the reactions and emotions you may experience should you be involved in a serious incident at work.
The Staff Incident Support Service are here to provide you with someone to talk to, practical support and information on how to seek further advice. The service is free and completely confidential.Coping with a serious incident at work can be difficult, and talking things over with a trained colleague can help.
You can contact any member of the service directly, or alternatively contact
or telephone 0114 222 4464
Reactions
Emotional and physical reactions are common after being involved in a serious or distressing incident. These reactions are different for everyone and may occur after witnessing or being involved in an incident. Reactions can set in immediately, or within days or even months of the incident.
It is important to remember that these reactions are natural and part of your mind and body’s way of healing and you shouldn’t worry if you experience some or all of them.
Immediate reactions
You may experience acute stress, confusion, numbness, tiredness, chill, guilt, worry, shame, helplessness and disbelief. You may also feel angry, upset or tearful.
Reactions in the following days and weeks
Your immediate reactions to the incident may continue in the following days and weeks, and you may also experience some of the following.
- Reliving the incident either in dreams or while awake
- Avoiding anything that may remind you of the event
- Inability to make decisions
- Regret
- Bitterness
- Difficulty experiencing a full range of emotions
- Sense of isolation
- Unusual or irrational fears of people or situations
- Sensitivity to noises and feeling “jumpy”
- Irritability
- Disinterest
- Pessimism
- Poor confidence and loss of self esteem
- Withdrawal
- Relationship difficulties
- Poor sleep and concentration
- Lethargy
- Pain - headache, stomach ache, tight chest, heart palpitations, general tension and muscle ache
- Restlessness and hyperactivity
- Increased substance or alcohol use
Remember, these are just some of the common reactions. Any intense feelings or behaviour which you experience after an incident which are not usual to you are probably a temporary response to the incident.
Recovery
It is important that you give yourself time to recover and don’t rush things. In the weeks that follow the incident your symptoms should reduce, but remember everyone reacts to events differently and will recover in their own time.
There are some simple things you can do to help deal with your response to the incident and help you to recover:
- Get plenty of rest, fresh air and gentle exercise
- Try some simple relaxation techniques or use a relaxation CD
- Find someone you trust to talk things over with in a safe and calm setting
- Don’t be frightened of your feelings or block them out
- Keep your life as normal as possible in terms of your routine, interests and hobbies
- Accept that whatever happened your response was the best you could offer at that time
- Give yourself enough privacy and be patient with yourself
If you feel you need further support the Staff Incident Support Service will be able to advise you on what support is available. You should also seek further help if you:
- Continue to experience intense feelings and emotions and feel overwhelmed
- Need someone to talk to openly about your reactions
- Find yourself getting uncontrollably angry
- Find your relationships are suffering as a result
- Have nightmares, poor sleep or intrusive thoughts
- Feel numb, empty or begin to have accidents
- Are concerned or feel anxious about working
- Abuse substances to a harmful level and feel dependant on them to cope