Terrorism-related Stress: How to tell if you need helpby Beth Mares, clinical member, Ontario Society of Psychotherapists

After the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre many people were in shock for days or even a couple of weeks. That was normal. People are worried about war, bioterrorism, and the world situation. That is normal. Muslims and middle-eastern immigrants are also worried about increased bigotry and racist violence. That is normal too. However, many people are in such a state of stress that there is talk of a looming mental health crisis.

Often the people who are least inclined to ask for help need it the most. If trauma, fear and grief are not processed in a healthy way they can over time produce serious anxiety disorders and depression.

It has been taken for granted that people who were at the scene of the terrorist attack or who lost friends and loved ones require counselling or psychotherapy. If you were not directly affected in that way, how can you tell whether you are experiencing a normal adjustment to a new danger, or whether you need help?

At the time of writing, it is October 24. By now you should be back to normal, feeling like yourself, with your full range of emotion. Especially, you should be able to enjoy the things you usually enjoy and have your usual energy and interest in your surroundings. If you are someone who is not very aware of feeling states, ask the people close to you if they think you are your normal self.

If you are still withdrawn, preoccupied, obsessively worrying, avoidant, reluctant to go out, easily startled or developing phobias, you need help. Likewise if you are experiencing intrusive thoughts or images, nightmares, insomnia, unusual irritability, or unusual somatic symptoms - headaches, digestive upsets, dysfunctions of the reproductive system, etc.

If you are off track, the sooner you get psychotherapy the easier recovery will be. If you have already developed a serious depression you might need an antidepressant in addition to counselling. However, popping pills will not resolve stress and trauma. There are continent-wide resources on this site and Canadian resources on my website, www.psychotherapists.ca.


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