Web
site offers means to coping
By CHRISTINE
VIDAL
Contributing Editor
The School
of Social Work has developed a Web site that offers online information
and resources for those who are having personal difficulty coping with
the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and their aftermath.
The site,
which can be found at http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/Trauma.htm,
is intended both for mental-health professionals and the general public.
It is the
result of a brain-storming session by Lawrence Shulman, dean of the
School of Social Work, and social work faculty members who were looking
for ways the school could help in the aftermath of the terrorist attack.
"We felt
we needed to address the personal impact on our social-work students,
as well as the impact the tragedy was having on their clients and how
they could help their clients cope," said Shulman.
The idea
for a Web site for students soon broadened to offer information for
a general audience.
"We realized
it also could be helpful to members of the community and other mental-health
professionals in the community," Shulman said.
"We understood
that the impact of the terrorist attack would continue over time, and
that some of the information would be useful immediately, while other
aspects of the site would be useful over the next several months."
The site
offers information on the various reactions people may be experiencing,
ranging from shock, anxiety and fear, to difficulty making decisions
and sleeplessness, and offers suggestions on how people can cope with
their reactions.
It also
looks at the impact the tragedy can have on children, and offers suggestions
on how to talk to them about the attack and how to reassure them. The
site looks at common reactions children have to traumatic events and
ways to help them deal with the tragedy.
The site
also offers information on the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder,
depression and anxiety disorders, as well as the prevention and mitigation
of disabling stress. And it emphasizes the importance of taking care
of oneself by getting enough sleep, eating well-balanced meals, trying
to stick as much as possible to regular routines, seeking support from
others and taking time to reflect on what has happened.
In addition,
the site lists links to agencies and to resource materials that may
benefit people struggling with the emotional impact of the disaster,
including how to cope with the general tensions and depressions resulting
from the attack and a clinical referral service on how to find a qualified
therapist.
Other resources
include links to the National Institutes of Mental Health, The American
Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, The American Red Cross and The
International Critical Incident Stress Foundation Inc.
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