Coping with Emotional Reactions to
9/11 Anniversary
News Release: August 22, 2002
Contact: Janice Osborne, Manager-Media & Community Affairs
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262
The first anniversary of September 11 is likely to be a significant event throughout the country. While most people have overcome their reactions to the attacks, the anniversary of the tragedy may reawaken intense feelings in both children and adults.
“For the millions of people around the world connected to this tragedy through either personal losses or by media coverage, it means the loss of a measure of security and safety. Many people will experience strong emotions as they remember what they saw and felt that day,” said John R. Hughes, executive director of the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley. “Feelings of grief, fear, guilt, anger and stress are very normal reactions to an abnormal event. And, we want the community to know that Red Cross is here to help.”
As part of its mission to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies, the American Red Cross offers the following tips and resources in coping with the one-year anniversary of September 11:
Stay connected with your usual support systems. Stay in touch with your religious/spiritual leader, social groups, neighbors, family and friends. Often the best way to feel better about something is to share your feelings with other people. You realize you are not alone and you can help each other.
Try different ways to express yourself. Talking with others helps but you also may feel like writing in a journal or doing a creative writing, music, or art project. Just doing the activity is often enough to make you feel better, but it also may help to share your work with others.
Don’t watch too much TV coverage. The media is likely to highlight the anniversary with emotional coverage such as interviews with survivors and family members, stories about the terrorists, predictions of future attacks, and/or replay of the World Trade Center collapse. Watching this kind of coverage can raise your anxiety level unnecessarily, particularly if you are not learning new or helpful information.
Do something you enjoy. Whenever possible, take a few minutes to look out the window at the sunshine and the flowers. It’s OK to smile; in fact, it’s good for you, will make you feel better, and in no way is disrespectful.
Accept help from others. If you need help putting your feelings in perspective, talk to a mental health worker. They are trained in crisis intervention, and know that reactions of this type are normal and usual.
Red Cross Community Support Line to be Available
The local Red Cross will set up a support phone line staffed by qualified mental health professionals to help local residents cope with emotions from the September 11 anniversary. Mental health professionals will be available by phone on Wednesday, September 11, from
8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., by calling the Red Cross at (610) 865-4400 and asking for the Community Support Line. All assistance is confidential and free of charge.
Red Cross to Mail School-Focused Materials to Area Districts
To assist schools so that teachers may prepare to speak to the issue, a letter and three fact sheets will be sent to school superintendents and officials in public and private schools in Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. The fact sheets, made available in collaboration with the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), are for adolescent students, parents and teachers.
Red Cross Materials Available On-Line
The following materials are available on-line by the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org/pubs/dspubs/terrormat.html. Materials are available in a number of languages. If you do not have Internet access, you may pick up the materials at the Red Cross office at 2200 Avenue A in Bethlehem, Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (610) 865-4400, ext. 262.
How Do I Deal With My Feelings? -- Brochure for adults. Covers how to deal with feelings of loss, anger, and gives tips on how to recover.
Helping Young Children Cope With Trauma – Designed for parents and caregivers; describes reaction of children ages 2-18 to the trauma of disaster.
When Bad Things Happen – Designed for middle school/junior high school students. Provides sensitive answers to the difficult questions people have after experiencing disasters caused by other humans, like terrorism. Suggests ways to put such events in perspective.
Why Do I Feel Like This? -- Designed for high school students. Provides information about emotional and physical reactions experienced following a disaster resulting from the intentional action of humans, such as terrorism.
Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit– Gives information on how to assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit and a checklist for items to place in it.
Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities – Designed for use by anyone who has a disability or who works with, lives with or assists a person with a disability. Has information on possible disaster effects, assessing personal needs and abilities.
Terrorism, Preparing for the Unexpected – Provides information about how to prepare for disasters of any type. Includes fundamental family disaster preparedness tips, and what to do when disaster strikes.
Anthrax Questions & Answers – Answers most frequently asked questions about anthrax, including how it is transmitted.
Preparing Your Business for the Unthinkable – Provides essential tips for small and medium-sized businesses on disaster planning and ways to reduce potential disaster damage.
Facing Fear: Helping Young People Deal with Terrorism and Tragic Events – A curriculum supplement for teachers to help them deal with children’s concerns, fears, anger and feelings when human-caused events occur. Aligned with national standards in social studies, health, and language arts. Available in four complete sets for teachers of grades K-2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8, and grades 9-12. Each set of materials consists of lesson plans for adults and an activities book from which copies can be made for children. (There is a cost for these materials.)
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents in Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training and emergency relief services to more than 15,700 Lehigh Valley residents.
