Below is a list of side effects and emotions you may experience when working with collections. This list is by no means exhaustive and it is sourced from the personal experiences of people working in the sector, both from in-person conversations and from reading about other people's experiences in articles and on forums.:
Vicarious trauma
Depression
Anxiety
Re-live and remember existing trauma e.g. via flashbacks
Re-live or be forced to remember upsetting or difficult memories
Experience nightmares, in particular ones related to things you've seen or read during the course of your work
Feeling dirty or unclean
Feeling guilty
Prolonged feelings of sadness and anger
Altering your behaviour in and out of work
Think about the material outside of work
Experience horror or rescue fantasies
Feel like you need to remember a person, group of people or event you've read about in a collection
Feel pessimistic
Feel hopeless
Develop a negative outlook on your life and the wider world
Distance yourself from colleagues, family and friends. You may feel a pressure or strain on these relationships
Experience irritability, mood swings and emotional outbursts
