Beyond Blue is here for the community through tragedy
When natural disasters, acts of violence or global conflicts happen, they can shake our sense of safety and leave us feeling unsettled, powerless or on edge – even if we weren’t directly involved.
Understanding these responses early, and taking care of ourselves over time, can make a real difference to recovery.
This page offers practical information and support to help you understand what might be going on for you and what can help, now and in the months ahead.
Reactions after a traumatic event can be immediate or show up later
If you’ve been impacted by a traumatic event, you may experience the following:
Feeling anxious or unsettled
Difficulty sleeping
Feeling overwhelmed or numb
Changes in mood or behaviour
Changes in your appetite
Some people also experience emotions, such as fear, anger or sadness, which can affect day-to-day life.
Taking care of yourself after a traumatic event
After a traumatic experience, it’s important to look after yourself and support your recovery. Here are some ways you can do that:
- Give yourself time and space to deal with what happened
- Spend time with family and friends
- Focus on the basics: rest, eat well, move your body and make time to relax
- Try to reduce coffee, cigarettes, alcohol or drugs
- Try to get back into a normal routine
- Do things you enjoy
- When you're ready, talk about how you feel
- Don’t try to push your feelings away by staying very busy
- Allow your feelings, and if you need it, ask for help
Guided breathing and relaxation exercises
Relaxation techniques can help to calm the mind and body and also manage some of the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
When to reach out for extra support
If your distressing or strong feelings after a traumatic event aren’t easing or are getting worse, it’s a good idea to reach out to your GP or a mental health professional.
Get help straight away if you experience any of the following:
Thoughts of self-harm or of ending your life
Loss of hope or interest in the future
Intense anger and aggressive behaviour
Avoiding things that bring back memories of what happened to the point where you're unable to carry out day-to-day tasks
Acknowledge what they’ve been through: Let them know their reaction is valid, and that recovery can take time.
Support the basics: Gentle reminders around rest and sleep, eating well, and exercise can help. If it feels right, you might also suggest easing back on things like alcohol or caffeine.
Offer practical help: Small things, such as dropping off meals or helping with errands, can make a big difference.
Stay connected: Spending time together, even quietly, can help them feel less alone. You might suggest watching a movie, reading a book or going for a walk together.
Respect their pace: If they don’t want to talk, that’s okay. Just being there can be enough.
Listen without trying to fix: If they do want to talk, focus on listening. You don’t need to have all the answers.
Encourage extra support if needed: If they’re still struggling after a couple of weeks or more after the traumatic event, gently suggest speaking with a mental health professional.
What to avoid when supporting someone after a traumatic event
When someone you care about is going through something distressing, it’s natural to want to help, and to worry about saying the wrong thing.
Often, the most helpful thing you can do is simply be there and let them take the lead.
Avoid pushing someone to talk, let them share in their own time: You don’t need to ask for details or encourage them to talk before they’re ready. Giving them space can help them feel safe and in control.
Instead of trying to fix the problem, focus on listening: It’s okay if you don’t have the right words. Listening without interrupting or trying to solve things can mean a lot. You might say something like, “I can hear this is really hard for you right now.”
Avoid comparing or minimising their experience: Even well-meaning comments like “it could have been worse” can feel dismissive. What matters most is how it feels for them.
Supporting kids and young people
The support of parents and carers can make a big difference. Children and young people often show how they’re feeling through behaviour rather than words.
- You might notice clinginess, trouble sleeping, irritability, withdrawal or physical complaints
- They may focus on the event, or avoid anything that reminds them of it
- Talk with them in a calm, simple way.
Answer questions honestly, at a level they can understand - Remind them they’re safe and not alone
Talking with them, answering questions and reassuring them that they’re not alone helps them feel safe.
Teachers supporting learning communities after a traumatic event
Educators in schools can play an important role in supporting children and young people who have experienced a traumatic event in the community.
As an educator, the relationships and experiences you foster in daily practice support safety, attachments and connections for the students in your care.
You can also support your students’ sense of safety and regulation by looking beyond their behaviour to understand what is happening for them.
Supporting colleagues or teams
People may respond differently at work, and all reactions are valid. A calm, steady approach can help people feel supported.
- Acknowledge what’s happened in a simple, respectful way
- Create space without pressure to talk or respond
- Be flexible with workload, time or environment where possible
- Remind people of support services like EAP, GPs or mental health services
- Keep communication clear and check in over time
Before scrolling or watching the news, pause and ask: is this good for my mental health right now?
Images and videos can appear unexpectedly, so managing your exposure is important.
Anita Savic, Clinical Psychologist and Senior Adviser, Beyond Blue
Exposure to traumatic events through news and social media
Repeat exposure to distressing events has been shown to affect our mental health. Living in a time of 24-hour news coverage means continuous engagement can be hard to escape, which may cause increased stress, anxiety, and depression.
Sometimes we need to keep a close eye and ear on the media for our safety, but ongoing exposure, whether you are directly impacted or not, can be distressing.
- You might feel powerless and emotionally overwhelmed – especially if people you care about are going through that awful experience.
- If you’ve lived through conflict and war, event images could bring back associated feelings.
- Footage can be graphic, depicting first-person experiences – particularly on social media.
- Social media is different to traditional news because content can appear in your feed without you looking for it, creating a constant background of information as you go about your day.
- The increasing frequency of events can make us feel like the world is falling to pieces which can reshape our beliefs about the world.
Give yourself permission to stop scrolling
If you notice it’s making you feel worse, it’s okay to pause, even for a short time. Set time limits to your social media apps to help you bring awareness to how long you’re spending on them.
Be the boss of your phone
Remember, you are in control of your phone. If it’s causing distress, you can delete apps, stop following or mute certain accounts, and turn off notifications.
Stick to what news you need to know
Checking news or social media updates once or twice a day from reliable sources is often enough. Also try to avoid the urge to look at graphic content, including images, videos and audio. Instead, you might like to focus on activities you enjoy, and try to spend time outdoors.
Check in with yourself
Try to notice how news and social media are affecting your mental wellbeing. Tools like our self-care check-in can guide you to make small, helpful changes when things feel overwhelming.
Try not to engage in online arguments
After a traumatic event, emotions might be running high. Avoid engaging in online arguments as this can exacerbate feelings of distress and anxiety.
Seek professional help
If distressing feelings persist for more than a few weeks, it’s important to get professional help. Call Beyond Blue anytime so you can get help early and feel better sooner.
Talk to a counsellor
Our qualified mental health counsellors are ready to listen to you any time of day or night. Get free, confidential telephone counselling (local call costs apply).
Seek professional help
Access reliable, research-backed information about trauma, including how it presents and what support options are available at Phoenix Australia.
Access free mental health and meditation apps
Explore guided meditations, sleep support and tools to help you feel more grounded and supported with free apps such as Smiling Mind (for all ages) and Insight
Explore apps that limit social media time
Explore apps that can help you manage and limit social media use, such as One Sec, Freedom and RescueTime. A great one for parents is Screen Time.
National mental health helplines and support groups
Reach out to these mental health helplines and support groups for mental health. They're free for everyone in Australia.