Coping with Anniversary Reaction

The anniversary of any traumatic event can be a difficult time. With this year signaling 2 years since the Black Summer Bushfires, 11 years since the Queensland Floods and 13 years since Black Saturday, people may experience what is sometimes referred to as an ‘anniversary reaction’. An anniversary reaction can involve renewed feelings of grief or anxiety on or around the date of the traumatic event.

As with any response to trauma, each individual reacts in their own way. There is no right or wrong way to respond to an anniversary, just as there is no right or wrong way to respond to the disaster itself. In fact, sometimes our thoughts, feelings and even our body’s themselves will react without warning. As with any triggering event, being mindful that an anniversary may trigger a response to the trauma, even many years later, can help us to prepare for the responses we may experience.

Psychological reactions may include a renewed fear and anxiety about the future, nightmares or reoccurring thoughts about the event, irritability and anger or a sense of sadness and loss. Physical reactions could include changes in eating patterns, headaches or back and stomach pain, difficulty sleeping or an increased use of alcohol and drugs.