H.A.R.M.S. Links:
Newsletter
(Spring 2001)
Sarah Feather is a freelance writer with an upbeat approach to technical and not-so-technical subjects. sarahfeather@rcn.com
Dealing With Stress and Emotional Trauma
For many in the aviation community, stresses associated with protecting against the threats of terrorism may be added to everyday stresses. The following resources can help members of the aviation community understand how stress may affect individuals, and how each of us can take steps to control how stress affects our lives. It's important to keep in mind that individuals respond to different levels of stress in different ways. In some instances, little more is needed than the support of friends and family, while in other situations, professional support may be needed.
Stress is an undeniable part of everyday life for most adults. From balancing the household budget to sitting in traffic, we are surrounded by situations that take a toll on us. Occasionally, however, we may be forced to experience a more serious situation that is unlike anything we are used to facing, and our lives are changed dramatically. While our emotional reactions to such stressors can be severe, fortunately, these events seldom affect our emotional or physical health permanently.
After the events of September 11, many Americans have felt uneasy, uncomfortable, and unsafe. While these feelings should have faded in the months since the attacks, some people may have stronger reactions that persist, as everyone deals with the severe stress of trauma differently. Some people, especially those who were personally affected by the tragedy, may experience symptoms that can be indicative of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The website WebMD.com's medical encyclopedia defines post-traumatic stress disorder as "a severe anxiety reaction to a traumatic event that occurs outside the range of usual human experience." It also indicates that symptoms of this disorder can be seen soon after the trauma is witnessed, or can develop as long as six months after the event.
Most Americans were affected in some way by the terrorist attacks; normal reactions to the stress of traumatic events include:
- Temporary feelings of shock, grief, anger, helplessness
- Difficulty feeling pleasure in everyday activities
- Feelings of guilt about the event
- Difficulty expressing intimacy or trust in personal relationships
- Temporary feelings of worry, indecisiveness, difficulty concentrating
- Tension, fatigue, irritability, difficulty sleeping
These symptoms should begin to fade within a few days or weeks. Friends can be an important part of the healing process. You can help hasten your healing by talking about the events with other people. Tell "your story", and listen to them as they tell "their story"; even simply airing your reactions to the events as they happened can help ease your pain. Knowing that you are not alone in your feelings can be helpful.
People who have been more closely affected by a trauma, such as those who witnessed one of the crashes or who lost a close family member or friend, may experience the above feelings, as well as more severe symptoms of traumatization:
- Terrifying nightmares or flashbacks of the events that intrude on everyday life
- The use of drugs or alcohol in an attempt to avoid re-experiencing the events
- Severe anxiety
- Severe depression
- Total emotional detachment from everyday life and relationships; a feeling of total numbness
These symptoms are indicative of a more serious reaction to the traumatic events. Anxiety disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorders should be treated by a medical professional. Call your primary-care physician, or seek a referral as soon as possible if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms.
There are ways that you yourself can take steps to deal with the range of emotions that result from a severe trauma event; these methods can also help others regain control of their emotional well-being. Some of these steps include:
- Talking with others about your experiences; listening to others relate their experiences. Airing emotions helps to lessen their sting.
- Get back to your everyday life: routines can be very comforting, and will reassure you that life will go on.
- Ask friends and family members for support.
- Make sure you get enough sleep, and eat healthy foods.
- Take some time for yourself each day, to do something that you enjoy.
- Getting regular exercise will help balance your moods and will make it easier to go to sleep; you will also find that you have more energy during the day.
- Don't watch the news incessantly; put down the newspaper and do something fun.
Thousands of children saw news stories or graphic television images of the events of September 11th. Their responses may be mild or profound. Helping children cope with the stresses of an overwhelming trauma can begin with the steps mentioned above. Make sure that you talk with children about their feelings (artwork can be very helpful to younger children who can't yet express their feelings effectively), and reassure them that they are safe. Keep them away from pictures and news broadcasts of the events; younger children especially can't differentiate between replays of a disaster scene and the actual event occurring over and over again. Children exposed to severe emotional trauma may also need support from a medical professional.
Mental and physical preparedness are both key to surviving and adjusting to any traumatic event. To help avoid developing severe disorders and to promote emotional readjustment, the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder suggests taking these steps in the wake of any disaster:
- Protect: find a safe haven that provides shelter, food and liquids, sanitation, privacy, and chances to sit quietly, relax, and sleep at least briefly following the event.
- Direct: begin setting and working on immediate personal and family priorities to enable you and your significant others to preserve or regain a sense of hope, purpose, and self-esteem.
- Connect: maintain or re-establish communication with family, peers, and counselors in order to talk about your experiences -- take any chance to "tell your story" and to be a listener to others as they tell theirs, so that you and they can release the stress a little bit at a time in disaster's wake.
- Select: identify key resources such as FEMA, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, or the local and state health departments for clean-up, health, housing, and basic emergency assistance.
Information on selecting a medical professional, along with other information on recovering from a stress event, is available at the NCPTSD website.
Bibliography:
- WebMD.com: "What is Stress?"
- WebMD.com: ADAM Encyclopedia:
"Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder" - WebMD.com:
"What Are the Negative Effects of Stress?" - National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder:
"Disaster Mental Health: Dealing with the Aftereffects of Terrorism"