Symptoms and Difficulties After Trauma

Traumatic injury presents many challenges in the recovery phase, both physical, emotional and lifestyle related.  

Trauma is painful and recovery setbacks are not uncommon. Common emotional responses to painful treatment and treatment setbacks include feeling sad, depressed, irritable, angry, scared, or withdrawing from others.  Some patients and families experience a setback as a failure rather than a "bump" in the road.  Setbacks can also trigger a renewal of earlier distress and regression in emotion and behaviour.  Feelings of anger, sadness, frustration, and fear are common and expected.

The menu items in this section covers some of the most common symptoms and difficulties (including setbacks) survivors and carers are likely to encounter, and suggests ways of coping with these.

The AfterTrauma recovery app has a 'flower tracker' which helps you track and see your recovery progress across different aspects of your life: your body, emotions, confidence, relationships and lifestyle. When you repeat a simple questionnaire over time, the petals grow or shrink to show you where you are on your journey. The app also provides helpful information and personal challenges and reminders which you can set to help you recover.  You can download it here.