All of us handle stress differently, including traumatic stress—experienced when a severe injury or the threat of severe injury or death occurs, or while witnessing these things affecting others.
Believability of the threat and fear are key factors that produce traumatic stress. How you react to traumatic stress does not demonstrate weakness or other personality flaws. However, lingering symptoms may cause you to think, “I should snap out of this.”
Caution: Overcoming traumatic stress is not necessarily a do-it-yourself project. This avenue of thought could lead you to avoid the best form of help—counseling with a professional who could help you return to a pre-trauma state.
If you experience sleep disturbances, intrusive thoughts, mood swings, flashbacks, or are easily startled following a traumatic event, talk to a professional counselor, your doctor, or employee assistance professional. Like a cut or other physical injury, traumatic stress left untreated or ignored can fester too. Not with bacteria, of course, but with bothersome symptoms that may cause additional issues if they remain chronic.
Proper treatment approaches exist to help you overcome traumatic stress and prevent it from interfering with your life.