Cincinnatus Central School District

The Cortland County Post-Trauma Response Team and the Chenango County Mobile Crisis Assessment Team (MCAT) were present today, December, 10 to offer support to our students. If you were unable to attend or were absent, our community has the following resources available 24/7: National Crisis Text Line 741741; Cortland Crisis Line 607-756-3771; Chenango MCAT 315-732-6228. The following are available weekdays: NY Project Hope offers emotional support 1-844-863-9314; and 211 for other resources.

As a part of our crisis management procedures, we want to let you know that we are continuing to offer grief support throughout the school day. Students in school are invited to the auditorium to meet with counseling team members. Students who are absent or quarantined may make an appointment virtually or over the phone with parent/guardian consent. If you believe that you or your child would benefit by speaking with someone, please contact the school by phone or email.

• December 9 Letter

Trying some of the following hints may help to alleviate the emotional pain of a traumatic event:

For Yourself:

• Try to get more sleep
• Contact friends
• Have someone stay with you for at least a few hours or periods for a day or so
• Reoccurring thoughts, dreams or flashbacks are normal so don’t try to fight them. They will decrease over time and become less painful
• Maintain as normal a schedule as possible
• Eat well-balanced and regular meals (even when you don’t feel like it)
• Try to keep a reasonable level of activity
• Keep active (physical activity is often helpful)
• Fight against boredom
• Re-establish a normal schedule as soon as possible
• Express your feelings with friends and family
• Find a good counselor if the feelings become prolonged or too intense

For Family Members & Friends:

• Listen carefully
• Spend time with the traumatized person
• Offer your assistance and a listening ear even if they have not asked for help
• Reassure them that they are safe
• Help them with everyday tasks like cleaning, cooking, caring for the family, minding children, etc.
• Give them some private time
• Don’t take their anger or other feelings personally
• Don’t tell them that they are “lucky it was not worse”. Traumatized people are not consoled by that statement. Instead, tell them that you are sorry such an event has occurred and you want to understand and assist them.

If the stress symptoms are severe or if they last longer than six weeks, the traumatized person may need professional counseling. The person or family should call the school or a counseling service in the area to talk about the feelings or problems associated with the traumatic event.

You have experienced a traumatic event or a critical incident (any event that causes unusually strong emotional reactions that have the potential to interfere with the ability to function normally). Even though the event may be over, you may now be experiencing or may experience later, some strong emotional or physical reactions. It is very common, in fact quite normal, for people to experience emotional aftershocks when they have passed through a horrible event.
 
Sometimes the emotional aftershocks (or stress reactions) appear immediately after the traumatic event.  Sometimes they may appear a few hours or a few days later. And, in some cases, weeks or months may pass before the stress reactions appear.
 
The signs and symptoms of a stress reaction may last a few days, a few weeks, a few months, or longer, depending on the severity of the traumatic event. The understanding and the support of loved ones usually cause the stress reactions to pass more quickly. Occasionally, the traumatic event is so painful that professional assistance may be necessary. This does not imply craziness or weakness. It simply indicates that the particular event was just too powerful for the person to manage by themselves.

Common Reactions to Stressful Events:

Physical

• Nausea
• Upset Stomach
• Chills
• Profuse Sweating
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Rapid Breathing
• Rapid Heart Rate
• Sleep Distrubance
• Dreams

Thinking

• Slowed Thinking
• Difficulty Making Decisions
• Difficulty Concentrating
• Memory Problems
• Reliving the Event

Emotional

• Anxiety
• Sadness
• Feeling Abandoned
• Worrying
• Anger
• Irritability 
• Feeling Numb
• Shocked
• Fear
• Guilt
• Wanting to Limit Contact With Others

Again, these are normal reactions to a stressful event. However, if these signs continue over time and start making it hard for you to function, you may want to contact the School Counselor or one of the following community resources for help:

Gutherie Cortland Medical Center Psychiatric Services Hotline
607-756-3771

Cortland County Mental Health Clinic
607-758-6100

Family and Children’s Counseling Services
607-753-0234

Copeland Avenue Associates
607-749-5711

Karen Dudgeon, LCSW
607-527-0575

Maureen Kiely, LCSW-R
607-753-1228

Gregg Moss
607-545-4532

Stephanie Perez, PH.D
607-753-6511

Joe Pullman, LCSW-R
607-756-4650