"Healing From
Terrorism Sickness"
Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Ph.D.
Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2001 12:27:30 PM
-- In terrorism, the numbers of persons affected are huge;
terrorism is
*meant* to affect thousands and millions of people --all at the same
time.
Most think terrorists' main aim is to kill people and destroy
installations. This is only secondary. (Yes, I know that sounds
unbelievable, but it is
so.)
The main goal of terrorism is "intentional trauma" to the
living. The murder and mayhem are SECONDARY goals.
-- The concept of doing ongoing psychic injury to thousands and
millions "all at the same time" is an important tactic of terrorists.
Terrorists
understand, if only in their diseased unconscious's, that
accomplishing
such will unleash a greater communicable and spreading
"psychic infection"
than any biological or germ warfare could ever hope to achieve.
-- This "infection" that terrorists hope to circulate is
that of
innocent persons becoming afraid of life, afraid of the future; of
causing people to put off the living of life, to move in ways that are
far less than their
previous free selves. The effect of living in such a crouch hurts the
human spirit and heart. The main goal of terrorism is
"intentional
psychological trauma." Murder and mayhem are only secondary and
sometimes even
tertiary goals.
-- Terrorism is willful psychological assault; a conscious and planned
assault against the minds and hearts and spirits of a large group of
persons.
I repeat this only if it be necessary to press past the reader's ego's
resistance to this hideous truth: In terrorism, murder and mayhem are
secondary to this primary goal of ruining the hearts and hopes of
others.
This is partly why terrorism is difficult to comprehend by reasoned
minds as anything but the most grotesque form of manifest evil. We can
barely conceive of thinking to psychically injure others so.
-- There are other secondary goals to terrorism. Any and all of
them
are the sickest imaginable. But the above is how terrorists seek to
cast
their net of "sickness" over all survivors and victims, over
the living--- by
trying to deprive you of esperanza, fullest and freely felt Hope. By
trying to limit your libre, your Freedom, your living life as a
completely free
person, shoulders proud, head up, mind on goodness and love for all
and
pleasures that bring peace and happiness.
There are many ways to cut through this net....
The "post-trauma recovery list" contains the central ways to
proceed.
Here are some additional which are very specific: It is peculiar
to find how
strongly that poisonous net holds when one is unaware of what it is
made
of, and how easily it falls apart when one consciously begins to
contradict
its malicious urgings:
-- refuse to dwell on what psychically depletes you of hope,
contentment
and ease. During post-trauma times, sometimes an extremely difficult
or
disheartening set of thoughts attach themselves to us; almost like a
gang cruising around looking to harass someone. Terrorists are
counting on
this to happen to many. Refuse this set of thoughts. Use the
discipline of your mind.
Say to them, "f-off! and I mean it!" If you are an old
believer like me, it
is as effective to assert, "Get thee behind me!" My
grandmother used to
say, "Just because someone presents you with a dog poop on a
pretty plate
doesn't mean you have to eat it."
--Dwell in what strengthens you. For some it is reading, others
physical
activity, others, crafts. There are so many things and combinations of
things. Remember, what brings you peace tends to be the same as what
strengthens you.
-- Clean up your kitchen around food especially, (time to give your
body
what it needs for its equilibrium and best strength now) . Do not
assault
your own body by making it work extra hard to throw off toxins now.
--rest (real rest, even if only a few hours at night, even if, like
many
are, awakening many times in the night, do not entertain "bad
thoughts," do
not allow yourself to fall into a pit of them. Think instead of the
greatest
beauty and love you know, discipline your mind to stay with those
images;
they are medicine for what has hurt you. The key words are 'practice
discipline.' If you do not know how to discipline your mind, think of
how you train a beloved dog to stay and heel. Proceed.)
--insofar as you are able, pick your endeavors carefully. Now is an
opportunity to drop various endeavors that deplete you or to join up
with people/matters/groups that invigorate.
-- refuse to think you are less able than you were last week. You are
not less. regardless of flaws, quirks or wobbles-- you are in soul,
actually more shining than you were a week ago.
-- with regard to goodness and things that are good for you and
others,
do what you always do. Do not cease goodness or pleasures that bring
good.
--continue to implement life dreams. If you don't have one, you're
overdue. Get out your thinking cap.
--use your intuition to guide you through these days. It will not fail
you. Some call this great gift that every person
possesses--insight, some
call it 'sense," some like us old believers, call it guardian
Angel--which for
me incidentally is no small little feathery thing flapping around, but
more--sort of like a fierce-gentle Guido with wings. (grin.)
-----------------------------------------------------
NORMAL REACTIONS TO LOSS, INJURY, AND CATASTROPHE
Over a period of time you may find yourself having one or all of the
following reactions. These are normal reactions to the kind of
experience you have had:
Physical Reactions:
- Fatigue
- Inability to sleep
- Sleeping too much
- Exhaustion
- Changes in appetite, digestive disturbances
- Feeling numb
- Crying
- Need for Comfort
Behavioral Reactions:
- Hyperactivity
- Poor concentration
- Inability to attach importance to anything but this event
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares,
- Recurrent dreams
- Inability to remember
- Refusing to talk
- Feeling one should not cry
- Startle reactions while awake or asleep
- Isolating, wanting to be alone.
- Wanting to just sit, or just stare.
Psychological Reactions:
- Feelings of fear
- Feelings of guilt
- Feelings of helplessness
- Feeling one cannot stop crying
- Anger, which may cause the blaming of others, outbursts
- Frustration with rescue workers, the bureaucracy, anyone who tries
to help.
- Ongoing violent fantasies,
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Amnesia
- Thinking no one can ever understand, no one can ever help.
- Blaming oneself.
These are NORMAL reactions, and although painful, are part of the
healing process. There is not a lot anyone can do to make you
not experience these feelings, but they will recede if you will take
the following actions:
ACTIONS TO TAKE FOR RECOVERY
- Within the first 24-48 hours, do strenuous exercise coupled with
relaxation. This will alleviate some of the physical reactions.
- Keep busy, do not sit and do nothing. You are having a NORMAL
reaction, do not tell yourself that you have lost your mind.
- Talk to people - talk is the most healing thing you can do. Talk it
out.
You may have to tell your story over and over again, many, many times
before it loses much of its pain. Each time you tell your story and
receive someone's caring, you will be healing yourself.
- Try not to cover up your feelings by withdrawing or by using alcohol.
Talk your feelings out. As many times as you need to. There is no
shame or selfishness in this. You have been through a lot.
- Reach out to others. They really do care.
- Spend time with others. Do not isolate yourself. Ask other people
how
they are doing. Remember they may be shy to tell a stranger of their
burden.
- Remember, each person telling their story over and over is the way
to heal.
- In the ensuing days, find things to do that feel rewarding or
refreshing. These need not be big things, but things to balance the
tragedy you have been through.
- When you feel bad, find a person to talk to, and to cry with, to
tell
of your anger and other helpless feelings. Don't keep it inside.
- Your spiritual beliefs will definitely help you through.
- You definitely will be able to help yourself and others better if
you will cleanse your feelings and accept caring from others.
We all wish to be brave and strong in the face of disaster. We all
wish
to be looked up to for our endurance and our efforts to help others.
If you
truly care for humanity, include yourself in their numbers, by giving
your own
inner feelings the voice and the dignity they so deeply deserve.
©1999 C.P. E
Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Ph.D.
Author, Psychoanalyst, specialist in Critical Incident and Post-Trauma
Management
We highly recommend you get this book and go deeper into the subject. For a simple breathing exercise to reduce fear and anger now click here.
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