Practical Tips for Tackling the Psychological Impact of Terrorism:
Managing/Reducing Stress
1) Normal reactions to an abnormal situation. Experiencing stress symptoms that are new — ones that you may not have experienced before — is normal and understandable following a traumatic event such as this one. What’s helpful is to know that these are normal reactions to what is an abnormal situation. When stress symptoms become uncomfortable, understanding that they are the manifestation of a normal reaction to such an abnormal situation can help a lot.
2) “There’s more to process than my processor can handle.” Take time to breathe. Remember…just like computers, human beings can require time to re-boot. Like computers, we may have special maintenance requirements at times. In times of extraordinary demand, we may need to add to our capacity by making an investment in our own self-care. Often, this is best accomplished by doing ordinary kinds of things.
- What do you normally do to take a break and refresh? Enjoy quality time with people who anchor you emotionally. Take a warm bath. Work out at the gym or engage in a favorite hobby or sport. Watch an enjoyable movie or tv show. Share a meal with family or friends.
- Insist on being patient with yourself. Getting re-oriented and rejuvenated won’t happen if you don’t let it. It’s healthy and functional to take good care of yourself so that you can do a good job of providing for others.
- Give the gift of patience and tolerance to those in your life who may be having a difficult time.
- Have faith in what we know. Research and experience tells us that most folks feel and function better over time. Stress-related symptoms at some point should lessen and/or disappear entirely.
3) Use a Pro-Active, Rather Than Passive, Approach to Media Consumption. Now’s the time for media literacy skills to kick in. Ask yourself, “Why am I turning on the television, reading the paper, or logging onto the Internet?” Get specific — what is it that you want to know? For some, local news is the priority; for others, it may be national or international news. Channel surf with remote control in hand. Selectively read the newspaper. It’s okay if you don’t cover what you normally would — at times, there will be too much news for anyone to fully take in right now. Decide on an amount of “news” to take in each day. Then, respect the limits you set for yourself by not exceeding that amount. By doing this, you can accomplish two things:
- enhance your stress management in terms of exercising a degree of personal control over the psychological impact of what’s covered in the news; and
- contribute to your stress management strategy on a practical level by adding to your capacity for time-management in day-to-day life.
4) Give yourself permission to not know all the answers. Take comfort in understanding that the new level of uncertainty that you may be experiencing is probably shared by others for whom you have the greatest respect and admiration.
5) Be gentle with yourself and others. Our American work ethic can motivate us to show up for life; but, in getting there, let’s remember to drive gently.
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“Stress 101” A Primer on Stress for School Employees Excerpted from a 41-page guide* written especially for school staff, this section gives a background for understanding stress — both everyday stress and that which stems from violence — featuring information about how stress works in our lives and tips for managing/reducing it. *Note: Includes easy-to-use links to the complete guide, Violence in Communities and Schools: A Stress Reduction Guide for Teachers and Other School Staff, produced by the NEA Health Information Network and the Center for Mental Health Services, SAMHSA, US Department of Health and Human Services |
For more detailed information about post-traumatic stress associated with crises situations, we recommend visiting the Web site for the Montgomery County (MD) Crisis Center, which serves a suburban community adjacent to Washington, DC. This center provides stress management information, advice and counseling to groups within its community.
Important note: Please do not contact this crisis center unless you live or work in Montgomery County, MD. This center is funded and mandated to serve its local community.
Guidance and Tools for How to Access
Resources that Serve Your Local School and/or Community
EAP – Some employers provide for their staff an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that can offer a variety of appropriate and helpful services (e.g., short-term counseling, critical incident stress debriefings, referrals to public or private community-based resources).
School Mental Health Professionals – Your local school district’s school psychologists, school counselors and school social workers can be well-positioned to provide both students and adults (parents and school staff) with experienced guidance on what resources and services exist in your community and how to access them.
Typical Community Resources – To directly access services, information or support in your community, you can contact your local:
- crisis center or hotline,
- community mental health center
- American Red Cross chapter, or
- United Way chapter.
If you need further information on many of the broad array of mental health services available to your local community, visit the:
The Center for Mental Health Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Mental Health Services Locator at https://www.mentalhealth.org/databases/default.asp
For additional help on finding information or resources, contact the NEA Health Information Network mental wellness program coordinator Angela Oddone MSW at (703) 519-9899 or via email at [email protected]. Thank you.