The anniversary of Grenfell is here and with it comes a reflection of the loss of lives and the circumstances around the deaths, with the coverage re-appearing across online and offline media, for many it can be triggering, whether you were directly affected and in the locality or lost a loved one or following the story, it could have affected you in a range of ways and Inspirited Minds highlighted how trauma can affect us and how to tackle it.

A post shared by My Views And My Views (@mvamv) on Aug 15, 2017 at 3:42am PDT

Firstly, we ask Allah for help as He is the one that gives ease, so never give up on Allah’s abundant Mercy through prayers and sincere du’aa (supplication). However, let’s not forget that He has also given us the means to bring ease upon ourselves and spread ease to others.

People react differently and we all take different amounts of time to come to terms with things that happen to us. Whether we are directly affected or not. Following a traumatic event, some people may experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms that are most commonly experienced by people with PTSD include:

• Re-experiencing the trauma through vivid and distressing memories or dreams
• Avoiding situations that remind them of the traumatic event
• Feeling numb, as though they don’t have the same range of feelings as usual
• Being in a state of ‘alertness’ – watching out for danger.

Recovering from trauma takes time, and everyone heals at their own pace. It becomes a concern if months have passed and symptoms are persisting, professional help should be sought, e.g. Cognitive behavioural therapy has been shown to be helpful.

There are also ways in which you can help yourself and others before it gets to that point. You may need to grieve for what (or who) you have lost.

Guilt is a common response following loss and/or traumatic experiences, this can be due to many things like not staying behind to help others or remembering lives lost of those whom they attempted to save.

Whether or not a traumatic event involves death, survivors must cope with the loss, at least temporarily, of their sense of safety and control. The natural reaction to this loss is grief, when you reach out to others for support it hugely helps. Here are a few things to do and remember.

Community

Being involved with other survivors may help with coming to terms with what has happened and can benefit in spending time with others who have been through the same experience. There could be a support group for people who have been through a similar trauma to yourself whereby others may have had similar feelings and experiences. Additionally, being with others who are facing the same problems can help reduce your sense of isolation and hearing how others cope can help inspire you in your own recovery. It’s also good to talk to help the healing process, it can be a relief to talk about what happened even if at times you may want to be alone or just with those close to you or sometimes you will want to be with other people, but not to talk about what has happened. Just remember, either way, you are never alone.Volunteering your time and effort can be a great way to challenge the sense of helplessness that often accompanies trauma. Helping others also gives a reminder to oneself of strengths and reclaiming a sense of control.

Thank you to all that came out today at the protest and also the silent walk. Our voices will be heard, and we will get justice. #Justice4Grenfell ????

— Justice 4 Grenfell (@officialJ4G) May 14, 2018

Charity Work

Volunteering your time and effort can be a great way to challenge the sense of helplessness that often accompanies trauma. Helping others also gives a reminder to oneself of strengths and reclaiming a sense of control.

Relax

Feeling calm through relaxation techniques such as praying, reading Qur’an/dhikr, or deep breathing can help ground you in the here and now, as well as train your mind to ease its many thoughts.

Furthermore, having a healthy body can increase your ability to cope with the stress of trauma, so try to eat and sleep well as this helps in maintaining our emotional and physical balance. Even if you don’t feel like eating, try to have regular meals and to eat a balanced diet because you are important too, not just your experiences.

Positive outlook

Remember we can turn negatives into positives through our mind-set, so we hit a block or stumble over an obstacle. Hey, it’s okay. You can still be healthy in mind, body and soul by using the experience to learn, adapt and grow stronger, regardless of feeling down or losing grip of your focus. Take the opportunity to re-analyse the meaning of your life because traumatic events can help one to reflect on what is important, and focus on the things that matter, like knowing every moment is precious, therefore to live it in the best manner possible through making the most of our time.

Give Back

When something out of the ordinary happens it helps us to remember and detach from what does not truly benefit. We can do this by donating time and effort into actively aiding, becoming a part of a support network for your family, friends and community insha’Allah. This is a way in which you can give back, remember even giving a smile is a charity – as well as a Sunnah to revive!

Let us replace the hasty and negative reactions with the very best guidance available, from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:

“…And if something (bad) befalls you, do not say, ‘Had I only done such-and-such, then such-and-such would have happened, rather say: QadrAllahu, wa ma shaa fa’ala (This is from the Qadr of Allaah, and He does whatever He wills).” [Muslim]

and don’t forget the all important:

“Whoever relieves a believer’s distress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the Hereafter”. [Muslim]

Lastly, don’t let anyone tell you “it’s time to move on” and certainly don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for feeling the way that you are. Take your time, you got this. We believe in you.

Inspirited Minds offer counselling via email, telephone, Skype and in person. However, we are not an emergency service, if this is the case the most important thing for you to do (whether it is for yourself or for someone else) is to contact the police, your GP or getting in touch with your local Crisis Team would be the best thing for you to do.