When I had mine there was an excellent support structure put around me and a careful laid out plan to ease me back into it. I went out with an instructor and we repeatedly went over the incident area with my IO keeping a close eye on my reactions and then I’d go through the area on my own with my IO sitting in the carriage behind me until I was ok to do it on my own.
My local management was great and supportive and my colleagues were all very good with drivers who had also one-unders coming up to me and offering support and advise.
I would say that it’s important to talk about it openly with colleagues. Don’t try and shut it away. Your colleagues know you and will respond in the right way from being overly sensitive to taking the p**s (yep, there can be black humour but it’s all done with the best intentions (honestly
)).
You‘ll be fine in the long run. You certainly won’t forget it but that in itself is no bad thing as it will make you hyper aware in the future and you can then use your experience to help colleagues who may go through the same thing in the futur.
So, take your time. Don’t be rushed. Use the help offered. Whilst it was very traumatic when I had mine, looking back I was proud in how I acted and performed. I managed to do everything correctly and kept my head until the cavalry arrived to the point that the mobile manger was listing things to be done and I was telling him “yep I done that, and that, and that…”. I’m sure you were the same and you will look back eventually and think similar.
Good luck.
