Preventing Post Traumatic Disorder after the Mumbai Terror Attacks
The recent terror attack has devastated Mumbai and has left people shaken, fearful, helpless and angry. While Mumbaikar’s are resilient and the City will bounce back to normal soon, it shakes all of us because it reminds us of our own morality as many of us visit these places frequently.
I personally feel a sense of loss as I have memories of visiting these hotels and its arcades in my beloved hometown. Due to electronic media, this traumatic even has affected us more directly as all of us were glued to our TV screens for nearly 60 hours and had been watching the images being replayed 24/7. This can cause fear, horror or helplessness and in some cases, this impact can cause a type of anxiety disorder call PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Many of us can have a brief period of difficulty adjusting and coping with life situations temporarily after which life returns back to normal. However, in some cases these symptoms persists longer for months or in some cases years, this is called PTSD.
It’s quiet normal to experience a wide range of feelings like fearfulness and anxiety, unable to focus, anger, sadness, changes in sleeping and eating habits. Some may have regular nightmares on the thoughts of these attacks. It does not mean that you have PTSD but if these feelings last for more than a month or you feel you are unable to get on with your life, than please seek help. Treatment of PTSD usually includes stress-relief techniques along with psychotherapy. You can also use holistic approach to treat this disorder, yoga and meditation and breathing exercises can help you to mange your feelings and take care of yourself.
Talking to family member and friends is very helpful. Also discussing these issues with your spiritual guru will help you to channalize these anger and frustration into positive feelings.
One needs to take care of self by working out in the gym which will help to relieve your stress, go for a brisk walk or listen to soothing music or try to do things which will help you to divert your attention and at the same time you will be able to find “Healing Process”. One must never self medicate, nor drink alcohol or abuse drugs at these moments as the disorder will only worsen. Alcohol is a depressant and your thinking is impaired and you are unable to rationalize.
I myself am still very angry at this situation and feel very helpless at the situation and constantly find myself turning to CNN or BBC or reading Indian news to find out the progress. This barbaric attack on my home town, I myself had noticed that I was very irritable, angry and feeling like crying after reading the news or watching them on TV. For 2-3 days I was so angry that I used to argue with family members a lot and have hurt their feelings, but slowly things seem to be calming down and I am able to do things which I normally do. I have started going to the gym every morning, and am practicing my yoga also, instead of being glued to TV or computer screens. This attack has also made me fearful of traveling to Bombay, my daughter keeps asking me if it is safe for us to travel to Mumbai during December Holidays. The terror attack has made me so fearful that I don’t think I would be comfortable in allowing my daughter to be out of my sight even for 1 minute in public places like 5 star hotels or airports or shopping malls. I think I would very vigilant in Bombay and may constantly look over my shoulder. I pray to God that I do not misjudge people by the way they look or dress up or by religion as not everyone is a Terrorist.
I’m sure many of you’ll must be experiencing similar emotions or feelings after watching them on TV, especially those who come from the City of Dreams, and seeing many of your family and friends being victims of these unforgiveable and unforgettable acts of brutality and destruction. Imagine, what must be the plight of the victims and thier families and also that of the army, police force, commandos, fire fighters, railway staff and the staff of the two hotels who witnessed this horrible attacks in front of them. It will take them a long time to overcome their feelings of anger, sadness, loss of hope and helplessness. I hope they seek professional or medical help and have a strong support system to fall back in these tiring and difficult times. My prayers are for all these victims and their families.
