Many people witnessed the horror in and around New York City on September 11, 2011. And it’s probably fair to say that none of us will ever forget, whether we were “there” or not. Dr, Bruce Nystrom went to New York City a few days after the attacks as one of the boots on the ground responders. He recalls his experience here.
“I went there five days later to do critical incident stress debriefings with NYC companies. Aside from the attack itself, there was the strongest sense of incredulity; it was just incomprehensible. Rosh Hashanah was just a few days away…would there be another, larger attack then? What about the tunnels and bridges to Manhattan? What about the water supply? Then an airliner did crash into the Bronx–from clear mechanical failure. TVOne, the 24 hour all NYC channel, replayed the attack around the clock…there was no other news; the rest of the world had seemingly ceased to exist. Did you really have to wear a mask from the dust? Then there were the thousands of photos of missing persons posted along Park Avenue. That was the most powerful thing I saw. Each one had a short bio of the person. They made the person ‘come alive.’”
Nystrom continues, “There were other things, too, of course. Times Square had no traffic jam. Survivor guilt was rampant, on a par with the grief and anxiety. But probably the most interesting experience I had in a kind of surreal sense was getting a free bottle of water from Rupert of the Hello Deli. He was on The Late Show a lot back then. And apparently he was known to be tight with his money!”
Dr. Nystrom says coping with these days begins with being in control of your experience. “Turn the channel or turn the TV off. That day we did not sense any control over our lives, but now we can be in control with the TV set,” he says. And adds Nystrom, “Our sense of safety and security was shaken. These are basic needs; everything else pales in importance when we don’t have our basic needs met. Everyday gossip and drama are replaced with efforts to restore safety and security, and family and friends regain importance.”
Both Nystrom and Dr. Molly Allen agree it’s important to talk to your kids about 9-11. “Tell them facts appropriate for their age. Encourage them to talk and ask questions. Don’t promise the impossible, like ‘this will never happen again’ but do make it clear that they are loved and you will do all you can to esnsure their well being.” And they both agree hugs are appropriate!
