September 15, 2001

SOURCE: American Psychological Association

Shock, anxiety, anger and depression are some of the typical responses to traumatic events, particularly an event of the magnitude of last week's national disaster. The American Psychological Association (APA) provides resources to help the public understand that these are normal responses to abnormal events, and offers suggestions for coping with this crisis.

"Individuals who experience or witness -- even on television -- a traumatic event often suffer psychological stress related to the incident," says Dr. Russ Newman, J.D., Ph.D., Executive Director for Professional Practice at APA. "A tragedy of this scale will have far reaching impact in our nation's community's and schools. Individuals can reduce their immediate stress and lessen long term consequences of the trauma by acknowledging their feelings and taking steps to address them."

The APA's Web site includes an online brochure titled, "Managing Traumatic Stress: Tips for Recovering from Disasters and Other Traumatic Events," available at http://www.helping.apa.org/therapy/traumaticstress.html

Warning signs of stress related to a traumatic event include: feelings of fear and anxiety, a sense of aloneness and loss, depression and an inability to face certain aspects that may bring back memories of other similar events in a person's life.

"It is only when individuals feel that they cannot regain control of their lives as a result of continuing reaction to the trauma that they may need to seek outside help," Newman says.

Following are some coping strategies to help people through the crisis:

• Identify the feelings that you may be experiencing. Understand that your feelings are a normal reaction to an abnormal situation.
• Accept the fact that things may be disorganized or chaotic for some time -- you may feel overwhelmed or distracted -- take one task at a time, one day at a time.
• Make efforts to maintain your usual routine.
• Reach out to friends and family for support. It's OK to ask for help. Don't isolate yourself. Structure your time and schedule breaks.
• Make sure you get adequate food and rest. Your good health will help you cope and get through this difficult time.
• Combat negative thoughts. Realize that things will get better. Be realistic about the time it takes to feel better.