Sept. 11 News Clips Could Trigger Post-Traumatic Stress

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Commemoration of the 9/11 tragedies may trigger episodes of post-traumatic stress in people who suffer from the disorder, says Nancy Smyth, associate professor in the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. An expert on psychological trauma, Smyth says rebroadcast of news clips showing the tragic events could cause survivors to "relive" the events.

"They won't just be remembering what happened," she says. "They'll actually feel like it's happening again. Anniversaries are particularly difficult for trauma victims. It's helpful to plan to spend these anniversaries with people you care about, especially to share some type of personally meaningful commemorative activity."

News clips of the tragedies also could trigger anxiety in people who suffer from post-trauma stress due to events unrelated to the Sept. 11 attacks. "Even though these people haven't actually been through the traumatic events personally, if feels like they have," Smyth explains.

Smyth has a word of advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed by the Sept. 11 commemoration coverage: Turn off your television.

"I would encourage people who are having trouble coping to limit their TV time to 20 minutes -- enough to get informed -- and then turn it off. Images are very powerful traumatic stress triggers for most people," said Smyth.

While knowing what has happened is an important coping strategy, she adds, knowing when to turn off the news coverage is equally important.

Feelings of distress, anxiety, depression, irritability, difficulty concentrating, intrusive thoughts, numbing, withdrawal and nightmares all are some of the symptoms of PTSD, which can occur months or years later, Smyth says.

The conditions are not limited to people who actually experienced an event. Those who immersed themselves in round-the-clock media coverage of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon also may find themselves struggling to cope.

Researchers don't know why some people will develop PTSD, although there are factors that indicate those who may be at increased risk.

People who have suffered a lot of trauma or losses in their lives are at greater risk, Smyth says, as are those who identify with some aspect of the event and imagine it happening to them.

Conversely, people who feel strongly disconnected from the event as they are going through it also are at risk of developing PTSD, she adds.

"The more they dissociate from the tragedy at the time, the more likely they are to develop PTSD," she said. "The fact that you're not perceiving and not connected to the event means you're not processing the information the way it should be."

PTSD is not limited to adults. Children also can be affected, Smyth says.

While children may exhibit the same symptoms as adults, the signs may be more subtle because they lack the language skills and self-awareness to define what they're feeling.

"What you're more likely to see in children is more daydreaming," says Smyth. "When kids get stressed, they go somewhere else in their heads." Their behavior may regress, or a child who is potty trained may begin wetting the bed or having nightmares.

Children's symptoms also may bear close resemblance to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or separation anxiety, she adds.

Adolescents are not immune to feeling of distress, especially if they have been exposed to a lot of the television coverage of the terrorist attacks. "Teens are still kids," says Smyth. "The don't have the emotional experiences that adults do. It's a vulnerable time in their lives and they don't have the coping repertoire of adults."

Smyth says individuals can take steps to work through their feelings.

For example, she suggests, "If you have something intruding in your head, you may need to spend 20 to 30 minutes writing about it, and then put the paper aside and tell yourself you're done with it for the moment and redirect yourself to an activity."

Hard physical exercise, prayer, music, art, yoga, relaxation tapes, massage, playing with children and walking also can help, she says. In addition, avoid excessive alcohol, caffeine and sugar, maintain a balanced diet and sleep cycle, and return to your normal routines as soon as possible.

She also encourages those who are struggling with recent events to talk about their feelings and concerns with others who are supportive.

"People secretly feel that they're going crazy. There's a sense of relief in talking about what you're experiencing," Smyth says.

For some, the acute distress will pass. Others may need professional assistance. When should someone seek help?

"When talking isn't helping," says Smyth. "Talking to family and friends can help to a degree, because you feel less isolated and alone. But if that's not helping and if your feelings don't decrease somewhat within two or three weeks, you might want to seek out a mental health professional."

Treatment need not be a prolonged, time-consuming prospect, she adds. With the appropriate intervention -- one supported by research -- on average, one to three sessions may be all that is needed.