This may concern those who are refugees and who have experienced war or other serious
events in their home country, and it may apply to Norwegians who have experienced such
events in Norway or in other countries.
It is important that you know that it is completely normal to be reminded of previous, serious events such as traumas and loss when violent events occur in your own community. The terror events in Oslo and at Utøya on Friday 22 July were such events, which affect everyone in the country. Suddenly, something happened that we thought was unthinkable, and this has created a great deal of insecurity, but also a feeling of cohesion and solidarity. To those who have previously experienced similar events, this may nonetheless have been a very difficult event. Memories from the past may have re-emerged and images from events at the time may blend in with what has now happened and what you are watching on TV and reading in newspapers, or what you may have witnessed nearby.
Common reactions for those who have experienced such events previously may be:
- Your life may suddenly seem insecure: what should be a safe place to be has been hit by something that is very similar to what happened to you previously, for example in your home country for those who are refugees
- It is as if the previous traumatic event is happening again:
- Memories and images of previous traumatic events emerge both in the day and as nightmares at night
- Sleeping problems and bodily reactions, often as pain, can appear and be felt very strongly
- You may feel helpless
- You may worry excessively about your next of kin, whether they are near you or in another country
- You may feel depressed and want to withdraw
- You may also start to watch too much TV, read everything written in newspapers: you may feel that you want to see it again and again. What you are watching may also mingle with what you have experienced previously.
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