We are a small group of

volunteers offering information

and support for activists.

If you or your friends have experienced or witnessed police violence (or violence from anyone else), if you have been arrested, if what happens in Scotland brings upold memories, if the symptoms listed later are familiar or you feel wobbly after an action, you might like to talk to us. All information will be treated confidentially.

We are covering the following areas:

• Information about posttraumatic stress
• How to help yourself / how to help your friends
• Individual support and group debriefings
• Contacts and information for additional support

We will have two bases,where you can drop in:

Stirling at the rural convergence space & a space in Glasgow or Edinburgh will open soon

We offer:

1 > Daily workshops about post traumatic stress:

• What is it?
• What signs and symptoms to look out for?
• How to deal with it?

For location and times for all information ask at the info points.

2 > A comfortable space where you can de-stress, access info and people to talk to.

3 > Facilitation of group debriefings.

Phone or drop in to arrange.

4 > 24h phone helpline during the G8 and some time afterwards,

For Edinburgh:079 6240 6940 (mobile)

For Stirling:079 1734 5849 (mobile)

or try: 020 7871 6940  (a landline based in Scotland)

5 > Phone support and info after the G8:every Thursday from 19-21h or leave a message / email and we will get back to you:

00 44 (0) 20 7871 6940

6 > ASSIST, a charity dedicated to trauma care, offers a free professional helpline:Mon -Fri from 10-16h (www.traumatic-stress.freeserve.co.uk)

ASSIST Helpline : 0044 (0) 1788 560 800/0044 (0) 1788 560 800

More info:

Email:activist_trauma@riseup.net

Symptoms include:

• Not being able to put aside stressful images and memories
• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Depression
• inability to take joy in life
• Not being able to feel
• Withdrawal
• Increased use of drugs or alcohol for selfmedication
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
• Fear
• anxiety
• hypervigilance
• panic attacks and phobias
• Guilt
• regret and self-blame
• Overwhelming grief
• Inability to function normally, to plan or make decisions
• Shame
• Irritability
• Suicidal thoughts and feelings

It's important to remember that having any or all of these reactions is common. They are normal reactions to an "abnormal" situation.

For around 70% of people these symptoms disappear naturally within 4 - 6 weeks. However, if the symptoms persist then it is advisable to seek support as it's unlikely to resolve by itself and may develop into a serious condition known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can develop months or years after the event. A variety of different ways to help are available.

What you can do for yourself:

Remember: Your reactions are normal, and there is help available. Directly after a traumatic event: get somewhere safe and let someone to take care of you. Don't isolate yourself. Reach out to your friends for support. Take the time you need to recover and be patient with yourself. Remember: What happened is not your fault, the guilt belongs to the perpetrators. Friends and family might not always know the best way to deal with your symptoms. Sometimes this makes things worse. Don't be afraid to challenge unhelpful support. Avoidance is likely to make things worse in the long run.

How to support your friends:

Be proactive about your support -trauma sufferers often withdraw and don't ask

for help. Remember that people may appear fine at first with symptoms only developing later. Be a good listener, don't pity them, avoid speaking too soon, too long, too much. We often tend to give advice rather than really listen; empathy is better than trying to fix. Small things, like cooking, make a big difference, but avoid appearing patronising. Irritability or ungratefulness are common reactions of sufferers, don't take it personally. Saying " you should be over it by now, get on with life" is likely to make things worse. Feeling unsupported can lead to what's called "secondary trauma" which can be worse that the initial experience.

What to do as a group:

Set a time aside to talk about what happened. Common practice is a go-round, where everybody talks about what happened to them, what they saw, did or maybe felt. You can approach us for a facilitated debriefing or download a guide from the webpage. It has been shown that talking within a few days of the trauma about what happened inside the group that was involved can help to process what has happened and diminish the risk of PTSD. Don't assume that only physically injured people will be affected and remember to support the supporters. Take care of each other.