Brief Tips about Self-Care and Self-Help Following Disasters
A National Center for PTSD Fact Sheet
The emotional effects of terrorist attacks are felt by people
everywhere: victims, bereaved family members, friends, rescue workers,
emergency medical care providers, mental-health care providers, witnesses to
the event, volunteers, members of the media, and citizens of the community, the
effected country, and the world. Those who were at the scene of attack and those who lost
loved ones will almost certainly have strong reactions. People who see or hear
about attacks on TV may also have strong reactions.
Common reactions to traumatic events like terrorist attacks
include feeling afraid, sad, horrified, helpless, angry, overwhelmed, confused,
distracted, emotionally numb, or disoriented. People may also be bothered by
nightmares or upsetting thoughts and images that come to mind. Young children
may be upset, distracted, or feel out of sorts. These are normal reactions to
very stressful events. With the help of family and friends, most people
gradually feel better as time goes by.
What can people do to cope?
- Spend time with other people.
Coping with stressful events is easier when people support each other.
- If it helps, talk about how
you are feeling. Be willing to listen to others who need to talk about how
they feel.
- Get back to your everyday
routines. Familiar habits can be very comforting.
- Take time to grieve and cry
if you need to. To feel better in the long run, you need to let these
feelings out instead of pushing them away or hiding them.
- Ask for support and help from
your family, friends, church, or other community resources. Join or
develop support groups.
- Set small goals to tackle big
problems. Take one thing at a time instead of trying to do everything at
once.
- Eat healthy food and take
time to walk, stretch, exercise, and relax, even if just for a few minutes
at a time.
- Make sure you get enough rest
and sleep. People often need more sleep than usual when they are very
stressed.
- Do something that just feels
good to you like taking a warm bath, taking a walk, sitting in the sun, or
petting your cat or dog.
- If you are trying to do too
much, try to cut back by putting off or giving up a few things that are
not absolutely necessary.
- Find something positive you
can do. Give blood. Donate money to help victims of the attack. Join
efforts in your community to respond to this tragedy.
- Get away from the stress of
the event sometimes. Turn off the TV news reports and distract yourself by
doing something you enjoy.
What can adults do to help children cope?
- Let them know you understand
their feelings.
- Tell them that they really
are safe.
- Keep to your usual routines.
- Keep them from seeing too
many frightening pictures of the events.
- Educate yourself about how to talk to children of different ages about trauma.
When should a person seek more help?
Sometimes people need extra help to deal with a traumatic event. People
directly affected by this tragedy, young children, people who have been through
other traumatic events, and people with emotional problems are more likely to
need professional help. A person may need extra help coping if a month after
the attack he or she:
- Still feels very upset or
fearful most of the time
- Acts very differently
compared to before the trauma
- Can't work or take care of
kids or home
- Has important relationships
that are continuing to get worse
- Uses drugs or drinks too much
- Feels jumpy or has nightmares
a lot
- Still can't stop thinking
about the attack
- Still can't enjoy life at all
Where can one go to get help?
Listed below are some ways to find help. When you
call, tell whomever you speak to that you are trying to find a mental-health
provider who specializes in helping people who have been through traumatic
events and/or who have lost loved ones. Check this website regularly for
updated information on how to get help. We will be listing more ways to get
help as they become available.
For veterans
VA medical centers and Vet Centers provide veterans
with mental-health services that health insurance will cover or that costs
little or nothing, according to a veteran's ability to pay. VA medical centers and
Vet Centers are listed in the phone book in the blue Government pages. Under
"United States Government Offices," look in the section for
"Veterans Affairs, Dept of." In that section look for VA Medical
Centers and Clinics listed under "Medical Care" and for "Vet
Centers - Counseling and Guidance," and call the one nearest to where you
live. On the Internet, go to www.va.gov/ and
look for the VHA Facilities Locator link under "Health Benefits and
Services," or go to www.va.gov/rcs.
For non-veterans
Some local mental-health services are listed in the
phone book in the blue Government pages. In the "County Government
Offices" section for the county where you live, look for a "Health Services
(Dept. of)" or "Department of Health Services" section. In that
section, look for listings under "Mental Health." In the yellow
pages, services and mental-health professionals are listed under
"counseling," "psychologists," "social workers,"
"psychotherapists," "social and human services," or "mental
health." Health insurance may pay for mental-health services and some are
available at low cost according to your ability to pay.
For anyone
Call your doctor's office or ask friends if they
can recommend any mental-health providers.
If you work for a large company or organization,
call the Human Resources or Personnel office to find out if they provide
mental-health services or make referrals.
If you are a member of a Health Maintenance
Organization (HMO), call to find out if mental-health services are available.
Call the National Center for Victims of Crime's toll-free information and referral
service at 1-800-FYI-CALL. This is a comprehensive database of more than 6,700
community service agencies throughout the country that directly support victims
of crime.
Related Fact Sheets
Children
and disasters
Answers the questions: How do children respond to trauma, how should you talk
to your child, and what can parents do?
Coping with
PTSD
Provides information for PTSD survivors on positive techniques for dealing
with PTSD
Managing
stress
A brief guide to recognizing the symptoms of stress and managing traumatic
stress
Self-care
techniques
A fact sheet about specific coping strategies for traumatic stress and PTSD
symptoms
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