The cluster of symptoms which sexual assault victims describe has been defined as rape trauma syndrome. The Immediate Impact Reaction. The two main styles of emotional response immediately following the assault are called expressed and controlled. In the expressed style emotions such as fear, anxiety, and anger are displayed whereas in the controlled style, emotional shock and numbness masks the feelings of the survivor. Survivors may also feel like sleeping all the time, eating all the time, etc.
Physical symptoms vary according to each person.
If you are doing things you never used to do, then it is probably related to the assault. During this time survivors are prone to mood swings due to the intensity and wide range of emotions they feel. These include humiliation, degradation, fear, embarrassment, anger, revenge, and shame. A survivor may go over the assault again and again in her thoughts trying to make sense of what happened, or she may try to block it out altogether. The Long-term Process of Reorganization Changes in Lifestyle.