|
| |
With the terrorist attack still fresh on our hearts and minds, we have gathered tips from the nation's most prominent victim assistance organizations to help our readers deal with the trauma of
September 11.
For some of you these events may have triggered painful memories from a previous trauma.
Others may be dealing with traumatized children or first response workers.
The holiday season is usually a joyous time, but this year may feel stressful.
We hope some of this in- formation helps. Most symptoms that are natural
reactions to a terrifying event can be successfully treated and are all valid.
If your daily routine has been affected you may want to visit your doctor for short-term medication or shop around for a
counselor with expertise working with individuals who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
It may help you to consider some of the following suggestions:
-
Plan your daily activities to feet as physically and emotionally safe as
possible. This may mean not watching the news or reading the newspaper, staying away from large crowds, spending time with loved ones, attending religious ser- vices, and sharing your feelings with someone you trust.
-
Avoid substance abuse. Use or increased use of alcohol or other drugs is a common means of attempting to soothe oneself in the aftermath of trauma.
It doesn't work. Alcohol, in particular, is a depressant that usually makes you feel worse after it has left your body.
-
Keep a journal. Make some notes to yourself about how you're doing and feeling.
-
Create a ritual. When words are inadequate, light a candle, buy some flowers, visit a cemetery.
-
Cut yourself some slack. In one sense, these terrible events may lessen the impact of things that might normally be bothersome.
On the other hand, if you're already dealing with a lot, this may be more than you can cope with.
Seek ways to make life easier for a while. Make sandwiches for dinner.
Cancel some meetings. Go to bed early. Don't take on any more commitments.
-
As the media reports on the needs of the local community, make a note of
volunteer opportunities and decide where you can make the greatest impact.
-
Thank the crisis workers in your community. Emergency responders, even those miles away from the scenes of the tragedies, are reminded again of their personal and professional
vulnerability and the ease in which a similar tragedy could befall their own
community.
-
Take advantage of opportunities to provide emotional and practical support to families of emergency responders.
The consequences of difficult work and unpredictable hours, as well as concerns about personal safety are part of life for a responder's family.
Victim assistance groups say that children are especially vulnerable to the trauma and unforgettable images from the tragedy.
Children approximately five and under won't fully understand what has happened, but will pick up on the
reactions of those around them. Adolescents will respond much the same as adults. Most importantly:
-
Children deal with trauma in small segments. Answer questions honestly, but don't force a child to talk if he or she doesn't want to.
Share feelings of sorrow, but not, more intense reactions such as
horrr. Monitor their television viewing and discuss what they are seeing.
-
Be available to your children; be generous with your time and love.
-
Encourage sleeping with favorite toys or blankets, and a nightlight.
-
Help children with a project like collecting toys or dolls for those children who are experiencing a loss, or writing them letters.
-
Encourage young children to reenact to what happened through play or artwork.
It can be empowering for children to rescue people and put out fires with toy fire trucks.
For many of us, the events of September 11 may be etched in our minds forever.
It is our hope at MADD that our experience in working with victims has enabled us to provide some useful
suggestions for healing the spirits of our community.
This page is http://www.maddorangecounty.org/coping.htm
Page updated: August 13, 2005
|
