I pretty much withdrew for a little while Sunday and kept to myself. As the broader Boulder community tries to understand the brutal attack of a University of Colorado student during the weekend, survivors of sexual assault and the people close to them may experience the trauma of recalling their own attacks, area counselors said. There is no timeline on when you are safe enough to deal with these issues. Such secondary trauma may also be triggered in people who are close to survivors of rape, and even in those who are simply attuned to it through media coverage and conversation. Symptoms may include flashbacks, intrusive thoughts about the recent attack, trouble eating or sleeping, interpersonal conflicts at home or work and withdrawal.
Secondary trauma is a real thing.
We have to be careful to recognize it and be sure to seek our own support. People experiencing such trauma need to talk about it, D'Annibelle and Wilson said. If they are being bothered by this event or if their own issues are being stimulated, talk, talk, talk. That is the one thing we know that helps reduce the trauma of this. Other suggestions include keeping a journal, eating well, exercising, playing and doing things that bring joy and relaxation.