A critical incident is a relatively sudden, untimely and unanticipated event or situation which is outside the range of usual human experience and which evokes unusually strong emotional reactions which have the potential to interfere with one's ability to function at the time the situation arises or later.
Many people experience a critical incident at some stage of their life.
Sometimes a trauma may be experienced indirectly, eg as a bystander, or where friends or family are victims. This leaflet is designed to help you to understand the typical reactions of others who have been in traumatic situations. It will give you some guidance in taking care of yourself so that recovery can be facilitated. At the time of the incident you may have felt stunned or frozen, or felt that your sense of time was distorted or your perceptions very focused. You might have been angry, anxious or frustrated.