Part 5 What is cumulative stress and trauma?

Sources of Stress

Illness l Grief l Worry l Anxiety l Frustration l Anger

COVID-19 has changed the way we live, work and relate to the larger world. Places where we felt safe—libraries and schools, churches and community centers, our friends’ houses, doctors’ office and neighborhood stores and markets—became places where we wear masks, maintain social distance, use hand sanitizers and worry about getting sick.

Business closures have led to job losses, housing and food insecurity, upending many people’s lives. Others are grateful to be receiving a paycheck, but worry about riding a van or taking public transportation and being asked to do something that could expose them to the virus or fear catching the virus from a co-worker or customer. Unsafe work adds to our stress levels!

A substantial number people who become infected with COVID-19 experience long-term symptoms during the weeks and months following infection. Anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances and fatigue are among the most common symptoms. Effects of hospitalization can also include post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), health effects that begin when a person is in an intensive care unit (ICU) and continue after the person goes home. These effects can include severe weakness, problems with thinking and judgment and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which involves long-term reactions to a very stressful event.

Many people have felt isolated and alone, missing contact with family and friends. Others are overwhelmed by juggling the needs of too many people living in a shared space with few outlets and normal social activities for adults or children. Some of us are especially isolated because of language barriers and lack of computer access. Yet as more of us get vaccinated, we’re finding that getting accustomed to removing our masks and spending time in person can also be a challenge.

Cumulative Impact

Cumulative stress is prolonged, long term exposure to stress triggers that can lead to stress disorders and psychological problems. It results from a combination, or ‘piling on’ of multiple stress factors in one’s life.

Traumatic events are shocking and emotionally overwhelming situations that may involve the threat of death, serious injury, or may cause or threaten physical well being. Traumatic events can overwhelm our coping skills.

Cumulative trauma refers to the effect of a series of traumatic situations that unfold over a period of time.

Sources

Disaster Worker Resiliency Training Instructor Training Manual - National Institute fo Environmental Health Sciences

Post-COVID Conditions - Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Prevalence of long-term effects in individuals diagnosed with COVID-19: a living systematic review

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