Boston bombing can create fear, stress in all

Coping With Stress Brought On By Terrorist Acts
from the American Counseling Association

The tragedy of the recent bombings at the Boston Marathon were certainly traumatic for those who were there, but it’s important to recognize how such an event can affect all of us, even if we only experienced what happened through the news reports. Many people don’t realize that such a terrible event can cause increased levels of fear, depression and stress even though they personally were far removed from what occurred.  Such emotional reactions, especially when unrecognized, can directly affect our ability to function normally. 

We have these reactions because we recognize that what happened was unexpected and irrational. We normally understand that bad things, whether minor or major, can happen to us, but we also are aware that most of them are within our control and avoidable. We learn to tie our shoelaces so we don’t trip. We look both ways when crossing the street... we’re careful to drive our cars safely... we go to see a doctor when we realize we’re having a health problem. We recognize that there are things we can do to minimize the risks that we face in life every day and normally don’t even think about them. 

But an act such as a bombing that targets innocent victims, regardless of who was behind it or why it happened, is something over which we have no control and for which we can do virtually nothing to avoid the risk. It’s a normal reaction to feel scared, anxious and unsure about what the future may hold as it’s forcefully brought to our attention how dangerous the world can be. 

In learning to process an event it’s important to recognize that there is no right or wrong way to think, feel or react to a tragedy. Whatever you are feeling or thinking is what is right for you and something that you want to accept. You don’t want to ignore your reactions, but you also don’t want to let them incapacitate you and leave you limited by stress and fear. 

There are several ways you can help get past the initial emotional responses a tragedy brings. One important one is to avoid obsessively thinking about the event. You don’t want to endlessly watch news reports of the event, or find yourself imagining over and over how it happened, how it might happen to you and similar repetitive analysis of imaginary scenarios. 

While it can be a healthy exercise to gather information about what happened, it’s not productive or helpful to be preoccupied with following an event too closely and thinking about little else. One way to avoid over-exposure to an event is to turn off the TV news where tragedies such as Boston are often shown over and over. Images tend to make a stronger impression on us than written reports. Those TV images can also be very upsetting to children in the house, so limiting their exposure to such scenes is something you want to do. 

When feeling high stress related to a traumatic event, people sometimes deal with it by withdrawing and avoiding social contact.  However, it’s important to get your life back on a normal keel. Simply talking about what you’re feeling and experiencing with someone who is calm, caring and understanding can help a great deal. If you don’t have someone to whom you can turn, you can also find comfort in simply writing down for yourself what you’re experiencing and thinking. 

Staying connected socially, especially with loved ones and close friends, can give you a chance to hear other points of view and to express your own feelings while also allowing you to focus on things besides the tragedy. Undertaking activities that you normally do with such people, whether it’s as simple as going out to a movie or dinner, will take your mind off what has happened, reduce stress levels, and help you focus once again on a normal life. 

It’s also important to maintain a regular schedule in your life. Sleep, for example, is an important aid in helping reduce stress, but that doesn’t mean hiding in bed for long periods of time. Go to sleep at night and get up in the morning at the same time each day. Get regular exercise, but not too close to the time you’re going to retire. Limit the consumption of alcohol beverages, which can disturb sleep, and try relaxing activities before bedtime, such as reading a book or listening to soothing, enjoyable music. 

However, it’s important to recognize the warning signs of when stress has become more than you are able to handle on your own. One is when it has been several weeks since the traumatic event and you still aren’t feeling any better. You may find that, despite your best efforts, you’re still avoiding social contact and you’re having trouble functioning effectively at work or school. 

You may be having nightmares and experiencing irrational fears about a variety of things.  You find you’re still thinking, perhaps obsessively, about what happened and find yourself avoiding things that remind you of what happened. 

If you are experiencing such feelings and high levels of stress, it is time to seek the help of a professional counselor. A good starting point can be your clergy if your church or synagogue has someone who has been trained in mental health issues (not all clergy are). 

Seeking out a counseling professional isn’t difficult. Your local yellow pages will usually have a “Counselor” section, or you can visit the American Counseling Association website at www.counseling.org where you will find a link to locating counselors in your area. When seeking a counselor, be sure to ask if they are trained and experienced in dealing with trauma issues. 

Feeling depressed, frightened or highly stressed at the time of a traumatic event is a very normal reaction, but when time isn’t lessening what you are experiencing and is affecting your ability to function, it’s essential to seek help to bring balance and happiness back to your life. None of us can avoid unknown and unexpected events, but it’s important to rationally understand how infrequent such events are, and how unlikely that such an event will affect you directly. A trained counselor can help you 

The American Counseling Association is the nation's largest organization of counseling professionals with more than 53,000 members in all 50 states and 80 other countries.