However, when those emotions appear, the cause of the feelings is usually gone. It is critical that people realize that they are not going crazy, but rather, they are experiencing normal and very powerful feelings in response to an abnormal event. Nightmares, flashbacks, self-doubt and fatigue are not uncommon experiences. Jumpiness is often reported as people begin to emit startled responses to noises. As survivors continue to grapple with their feelings, guilt and depression often emerge.
Guilt can originate from at least two sources.
Survivor guilt may result when one individual has suffered comparatively less than others. Self-criticism may result from the mistaken belief that a person had sufficient time to act more heroically. It is not uncommon for persons to move back and forth between emotions and shock as they recover. Ultimately, recovery is signaled by constructive changes that demonstrate acceptance and adaptation. Survivors can not go back to the way they were before the catastrophe.