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Trauma

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

How can other people help? 

This section is for people who wish to support someone who has gone through trauma. 

It can be really hard if someone you care about is struggling with the effects of trauma, but there are lots of things you can do that might help. 

This section has some suggestions for ways you can support them while also looking after your own wellbeing. These include: 

  • listen to them 
  • learn their triggers 
  • try not to judge 
  • don’t take over 
  • respect their privacy 
  • help them find support 
  • look after your own mental health 

Listen to them 

You might be unsure of what to say or do if someone talks to you about trauma. It could help if you: 

  • Give them time. Let them talk at their own pace – it’s important not to pressure or rush them. 
  • Focus on listening. Try to respect what they are choosing to share, rather than asking lots of questions. 
  • Accept their feelings. For example, allow them to be upset about what has happened. 
  • Don’t blame them or criticise their reactions. You might wonder why they didn’t do something differently, but they survived however they could at the time. 
  • Use the same words they use. People vary in how they prefer to describe their experiences. For example, it’s their choice whether to talk about being a ‘victim’ or ‘survivor’ of trauma. 
  • Don’t dismiss their experiences. For example, don’t tell them not to worry about things or that it could be worse – this isn’t usually helpful to hear. Try to remember that people can’t choose what they find traumatic or how they’re affected. 
  • Only give advice if you’re asked to. They might prefer to simply hear that you believe them and are there for them. 

“Accepting that I can show my vulnerability without fear of reprisal or punishment has been a big step… to do this I have had to explain to those closest to me how vulnerable I am… and many times when I appear to be the exact opposite.” 

If someone talks to you about trauma, they might seem unemotional or casual even though they’re talking about stressful or upsetting events. They might even smile or laugh. 

This can seem strange or confusing, but in fact it’s very common – it happens because trauma can cause such strong feelings that your mind may ‘cut off’ or dissociate from your emotions. 

Hearing about trauma can be really hard, whether or not someone shares specific details. For example, you might feel upset or angry about what they’ve told you. Our useful contacts are here to support you too, and you can read more about looking after your own mental health further down this page. 

Learn their triggers 

It might help to ask if any situations or conversations might trigger flashbacks or difficult feelings. For example, they might be particularly distressed by loud noises or arguments. Understanding their triggers could help you to avoid these situations, and feel more prepared when they have reactions such as flashbacks. 

Tips on helping someone who is experiencing a flashback 

Flashbacks are vivid experiences in which someone re-lives some aspects of a traumatic event. It can be hard to know how to help during a flashback, but you don’t need special training to support someone who is having one. It could help if you: 

  • try to stay calm 
  • gently tell them that they are having a flashback 
  • avoid making any sudden movements 
  • encourage them to breathe slowly and deeply 
  • encourage them to describe their surroundings. 

Our pages on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) explain more about what flashbacks are and tips for coping with flashbacks. 

Try not to judge 

If you’ve not gone through trauma yourself or you feel differently about shared experiences, it can be hard to understand why your friend or family member can’t seem to ‘move on’. It’s understandable to wish things could improve, but it’s important not to blame them or put pressure on them to get better without the time and support they need. 

Don’t take over 

If you’re worried about someone, it’s understandable to want to help them improve things or to feel frustrated if they disagree about what to do. 

But traumatic experiences usually involve being powerless or having control taken away from you. So if you pressure them or tell them what to do, this might add to their feelings of powerlessness. 

Instead, try to encourage and support them to make their own choices. 

“Accepting support from those closest to me has been tough [because] I always had to be the strong one.” 

Respect their privacy 

Don’t share details of what they’ve gone through unless you have their permission. For example, they might not want you to tell mutual friends or family members about what has happened to them. 

This doesn’t mean keeping everything to yourself and not getting support. Our useful contacts for trauma and useful contacts for supporting someone else have some suggestions of where to turn.

Help them find support 

If they want you to, you could help them find further support. For example: 

  • You could look through the list of relevant organisations in our pages on useful contacts for trauma and useful contacts for PTSD. 
  • Our pages on supporting someone who is self-harming and supporting someone who feels suicidal can help if someone you care about is harming themselves or struggling with thoughts of suicide. 

See our page on helping someone else seek help for more suggestions, including what you can and can’t do if someone doesn’t want help.

Look after your own mental health 

It’s important to remember that your mental health matters too. Our pages on supporting someone else to seek help, how to cope when supporting someone else, managing stress and maintaining your wellbeing all have lots of information and tips on how to look after yourself. 

Support options for you 

A traumatic event can have a major impact not just on those who lived through it, but also on people around them. If you experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress or other effects of trauma while supporting someone else (sometimes called secondary trauma), it might help to try some of the tips from our pages on helping yourself with trauma now and helping yourself long term. 

It’s also a good idea to talk to your doctor about how you’re feeling, and ask if they can offer you any treatment or support.

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

How can other people help?

How can other people help? 

This section is for people who wish to support someone who has gone through trauma. 

It can be really hard if someone you care about is struggling with the effects of trauma, but there are lots of things you can do that might help. 

This section has some suggestions for ways you can support them while also looking after your own wellbeing. These include: 

  • listen to them 
  • learn their triggers 
  • try not to judge 
  • don't take over 
  • respect their privacy 
  • help them find support 
  • look after your own mental health 

Listen to them 

You might be unsure of what to say or do if someone talks to you about trauma. It could help if you: 

  • Give them time. Let them talk at their own pace – it's important not to pressure or rush them. 
  • Focus on listening. Try to respect what they are choosing to share, rather than asking lots of questions. 
  • Accept their feelings. For example, allow them to be upset about what has happened. 
  • Don't blame them or criticise their reactions. You might wonder why they didn't do something differently, but they survived however they could at the time. 
  • Use the same words they use. People vary in how they prefer to describe their experiences. For example, it's their choice whether to talk about being a 'victim' or 'survivor' of trauma. 
  • Don't dismiss their experiences. For example, don't tell them not to worry about things or that it could be worse – this isn’t usually helpful to hear. Try to remember that people can't choose what they find traumatic or how they're affected. 
  • Only give advice if you're asked to. They might prefer to simply hear that you believe them and are there for them. 

"Accepting that I can show my vulnerability without fear of reprisal or punishment has been a big step... to do this I have had to explain to those closest to me how vulnerable I am... and many times when I appear to be the exact opposite." 

If someone talks to you about trauma, they might seem unemotional or casual even though they're talking about stressful or upsetting events. They might even smile or laugh. 

This can seem strange or confusing, but in fact it's very common - it happens because trauma can cause such strong feelings that your mind may 'cut off' or dissociate from your emotions. 

Hearing about trauma can be really hard, whether or not someone shares specific details. For example, you might feel upset or angry about what they've told you. Our useful contacts are here to support you too, and you can read more about looking after your own mental health further down this page. 

Learn their triggers 

It might help to ask if any situations or conversations might trigger flashbacks or difficult feelings. For example, they might be particularly distressed by loud noises or arguments. Understanding their triggers could help you to avoid these situations, and feel more prepared when they have reactions such as flashbacks. 

Tips on helping someone who is experiencing a flashback 

Flashbacks are vivid experiences in which someone re-lives some aspects of a traumatic event. It can be hard to know how to help during a flashback, but you don't need special training to support someone who is having one. It could help if you: 

  • try to stay calm 
  • gently tell them that they are having a flashback 
  • avoid making any sudden movements 
  • encourage them to breathe slowly and deeply 
  • encourage them to describe their surroundings. 

Our pages on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) explain more about what flashbacks are and tips for coping with flashbacks. 

Try not to judge 

If you've not gone through trauma yourself or you feel differently about shared experiences, it can be hard to understand why your friend or family member can't seem to 'move on'. It's understandable to wish things could improve, but it's important not to blame them or put pressure on them to get better without the time and support they need. 

Don't take over 

If you're worried about someone, it's understandable to want to help them improve things or to feel frustrated if they disagree about what to do. 

But traumatic experiences usually involve being powerless or having control taken away from you. So if you pressure them or tell them what to do, this might add to their feelings of powerlessness. 

Instead, try to encourage and support them to make their own choices. 

"Accepting support from those closest to me has been tough [because] I always had to be the strong one." 

Respect their privacy 

Don't share details of what they've gone through unless you have their permission. For example, they might not want you to tell mutual friends or family members about what has happened to them. 

This doesn't mean keeping everything to yourself and not getting support. Our useful contacts for trauma and useful contacts for supporting someone else have some suggestions of where to turn.

Help them find support 

If they want you to, you could help them find further support. For example: 

  • You could look through the list of relevant organisations in our pages on useful contacts for trauma and useful contacts for PTSD. 
  • Our pages on supporting someone who is self-harming and supporting someone who feels suicidal can help if someone you care about is harming themselves or struggling with thoughts of suicide. 

See our page on helping someone else seek help for more suggestions, including what you can and can’t do if someone doesn’t want help.

Look after your own mental health 

It's important to remember that your mental health matters too. Our pages on supporting someone else to seek help, how to cope when supporting someone else, managing stress and maintaining your wellbeing all have lots of information and tips on how to look after yourself. 

Support options for you 

A traumatic event can have a major impact not just on those who lived through it, but also on people around them. If you experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress or other effects of trauma while supporting someone else (sometimes called secondary trauma), it might help to try some of the tips from our pages on helping yourself with trauma now and helping yourself long term. 

It's also a good idea to talk to your doctor about how you're feeling, and ask if they can offer you any treatment or support.