Education

Critical Incident Stress (CIS) is a condition that can affect anyone. A major part in dealing with it properly is to know as much about it as you can. We have included some information on this website so you can learn about it, the affects it can have on yourself, a family member or friend and how to deal with it.

But to start, let’s look at a few key terms and concepts.

1.   Critical Incidents are powerful traumatic events that initiate the crisis response.

2.   Without critical incidents there would be no crisis reactions and no need for crisis intervention.

The “Terrible Ten”

A sample of Critical Incidents include:

• Line-of-duty death

• Suicide of colleague

• Serious line-of-duty injury

• Disaster / multi-casualty incident

• Killing or wounding an innocent person

• Significant events involving children

• Prolonged incidents especially with loss of life

• Personally threatening situations

• Events with excessive media interest

• Any highly distressing event

Info adapted from the Canadian Critical Incident Stress Foundation.

Critical Incident Stress Survival Suggestions

• Take care of your physical health by eating well balanced meals and avoiding alcohol and non-prescription drugs. Alcohol may numb those feelings for the time being, but the feelings remain after the alcohol wears off.

• Take time to rest.

• Exercise. Just going for a walk is very helpful. You don’t have to go to the gym for a full workout unless that is part of your usual routine.

• Don’t isolate from family, friends, and peers. Fight the urge to withdraw into a shell. People do not have to “understand” in order to care. Consider remaining involved with others - you may find that by doing so, you heal faster.

• Talk about the incident and your reactions with someone you know and trust but most importantly someone who understands critical incident stress.

• Realize that others around you may also be experiencing critical incident stress so be patient, respect and reach out to them.

• Give yourself time to feel better and permission to feel badly. In other words, “it is Okay to be OK and it is Okay to not be OK”.

Remember: If you are not feeling better in a few weeks or the reactions are interfering with your daily tasks of living, seek help from a professional.