JAMA bioterrorism defense articles available on
Web. The Journal of the American Medical Association has made available
the full text of five articles it has published since 1999 on the subject
of the potential for biological terrorism. The series began in May 1999
and outlines recommendations for medical and public health professionals
to react to attacks using smallpox, anthrax, plague, botulinum toxin and
tularemia. The articles were prepared by the Working Group on Civilian
Biodefense. They can be found at http://jama.ama-assn.org .
How
do I deal with my feelings? A free brochure from the American
Red Cross Disaster Division dealing with feelings of grief and loss and
tips to begin healing.
Some characteristics of suspicious packages
and letters include the following
· Excessive postage
· Handwritten or poorly typed addresses
· Incorrect titles
· Title, but no name
· Misspellings of common words
· Oily stains, discolorations or odor
· No return address
· Excessive weight
· Lopsided or uneven envelope
· Protruding wires or aluminum foil
· Excessive security material such as masking tape, string, etc.
· Visual distractions
· Ticking sound
· Marked with restrictive endorsements, such as Personal or Confidential
· Shows a city or state in the postmark that does not match the return
address
Responses to Terrorism
Crisis Reactions -----Helping Yourself
Coping with our reactions to terrorist attacks has affected people in many
different ways. Some of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual
responses many Americans have experienced are very normal, and may last
for a day or for many months to come. September 11 was marked by profound
shock, sensory overload, and surreal experiences. Our lives have changed
as we move through this turning point in history. During this time it is
important to remember that all of our experiences are unique and there
are patterns of reactions that are commonly found among people whose lives
have been impacted. Some people will have stronger reactions than others,
based on each of our experiences. The following information was compiled
from various victim assistance organizations
Some of our Physical Responses to a crisis may include:
A state to which we are in frozen flight (wanting
to do something, go somewhere, but can not identify where or when)
Adrenaline pumping through the body even when there
is not an immediate danger
Heart rate increases and may feel like it is beating
very hard or fast
Hyperventilation and perspiration even when the
body is not extending itself
Increased attention to sensory perceptions can be
bothersome, as noise may seem louder than it is or smells stronger than usual.
This leads to exhaustion. When our body has worked overtime it becomes tired.
These responses can be acting out and we are not paying attention to them.
Physical shock, numbness can also account for feelings of exhaustion.
The Mind’s response to a crisis
The mind can also cause us some problems after a crisis. Mental shock, disbelief
and denial can take over and our thinking becomes changed. Some of these changes
may occur.
Comprehending what is happening around us becomes
difficult
Helplessness, powerlessness are dominant in our
reaction state.
Going backwards in our coping skills Being
lost in the crisis without understanding what is happening
The Turmoil of emotions
The most basic responses to threats and attacks
are Fear, terror, and horror. These responses can keep us up at night and
provoke feelings of a lack of safety.
Anger, fury, and outrage are often driven by fear.
It will keep us from focusing on the normal events in our day and all other
positive happenings around us.
With the presence of confusion and/or frustrations,
our feelings of helplessness in the face of death and destruction can become
magnified.
Guilt has many faces. It comes in the form of self-blame,
shame-survival guilt, guilt over not being able to help others in their
time of need
Loss, grief, and sorrow are the normal grieving
responses felt by many who have witnessed destruction. TV links us to the
witnessing of events of loss. If you feel
overwhelmed, turn off the TV, go for a walk, or meet a friend.
Coping with Reactions to Terrorist Attacks
Remember that you are not the only person who
is feeling overwhelmed with all of the attacks.
This attack has been unbelievably horrible to most Americans. It has caused
us to feel afraid, to cry, to be angry and to feel less safe in environments
where we did have a sense of safety. These emotions become intensified with
feelings of helplessness that accompany the shock of the attacks. You are
not alone in being overwhelmed; talk to friends about how you think and feel.
Restore your connections with others Talk with
others.
Even if you do not want to talk about the attacks, listen and learn from
others. It helps to know that someone is around you who cares. Learning from
others increases our knowledge. This reduces the feelings of powerlessness.
Try to express your reactions and/or feelings
Many people discover that when they are able to express the appropriate words
to describe their emotions of fear, anger, or grief – or any other
feeling – it helps to define what happened and the intensity of
the emotions. Some cultures and some people are not comfortable with
talking; so for right now, it may be more helpful to them to listen to
others. Some people express their reactions differently. That can be
through music, physical activity, writing, or through art. Do whatever
works for YOU.
Finding a way to help others as well as our country
One of our best antidotes on the market is to help others. Take a positive
position to combat negative reactions. Nashville has many help sites.
You can donate blood, in-kind goods or money. (Make sure you check out
the program you are giving to). You can organize a neighborhood watch
or just fly an American flag; whatever you do, seek positive outcomes.
Many churches will have programs available. Check it out!
Keeping to your ordinary routine as much as possible
Routines can be an anchor. If you have had family outings planned, attend
them. Have fun. Maintaining your established patterns of life does not
mean you do not care or were not affected. If you were doing physical
activities prior to the attack, try to re-enter the routine.
Learn all you can about the reactions you are
having
Try to remember some time that you had gone through a traumatic event or
something that was stressful. Your former experiences will show you ways
that you deal well with the stress you have experienced. It will also be
helpful to know how you respond physically and emotionally. Read, ask, watch
helpful tapes on coping.
I f you need some
help reach out
PASS (Police Advocacy Support Services) is here to help you. We have been
providing service to law enforcement and their families for the past 15 years.
We are currently providing services to Metropolitan Nashville Police Department,
Brentwood Police Department, Goodlettsville Police Department, Columbia Police
Department, Smyrna Police Department, Gallatin Police Department, and the
Davidson County Sheriff’s Department. You can contact us during the
business hours, which are Monday through Friday 0730 to 1730; or when we
are not here, there is a pager number available on the answering machine.
If you have any additional questions call us at 862-7887. In any case we
encourage you to take that extra special care of someone so very valuable....................... YOU!
June McHenry LCSW, Police Advocacy Support Supervisor,
This article was complied from information available from the National Organization
for Victim Assistance (NOVA) and the National Center for Victims of Crime
(NCVC . Additional information and trauma recovery tips and information can
be found at www.try-nova.org ,
www.ncvc.org ,
