Dealing With Tragedy

In honor of September 11 (which I still can't believe isn't a national holiday), here's a recent newsletter article from earlier this year. I wrote it in regards to the Virgina Tech tragedy, and I think it's worth updating and revisiting today.

One Tuesday morning, six years ago, I arrived late to work (as always.) I was working in Corporate America back then, in New York City. It was September 11, 2001.                     

I hadn't even reached my desk when a coworker stopped me, "Did you hear?" he said wide-eyed. "A plane crashed into the World Trade Center."  People were reluctant to speculate about what happened, but I knew instantly it was terrorism.  By the time word of the second plane crash came in, there was no doubt.
                        
That  day was rough. I worked in midtown, so I wasn't in danger. I didn't know anyone who worked in the WTC but many of my coworkers did, and people were panicking. When I finally left the office a couple of hours later, I couldn't get home to Queens because the subways were closed down. Eventually, I walked a couple of miles home, in the heat, in sandals and a skirt.

I was exhausted, emotionally drained, and  covered in blisters. I should have gone straight to bed, but I didn't.  I turned on the TV, and then things got really bad.                      

I spent a couple of weeks, if not months, unexpectedly breaking down under thoughts of 9/11. Looking back now, I'm sure I became depressed in response to the events. I was living in the place where so many people died. I couldn't forget about the tragedy, even though I wanted to.

This week we find ourselves turning on the TV and finding news stories about 9/11 victims and the rescuers who are being mistreated by our government as they suffer physical ailments from their time at ground zero. There is a lot of sadness, and I have a very  hard time dealing with these tragedies. I'm not alone.                      

Adults with Attention Deficit tend to be hypersensitive. This often goes beyond being annoyed with the tags in your clothing. Emotional hypersensitivity is present in many of us, and it makes a tragedy like this one very difficult to deal with.

What To Do

If you are an adult with ADD who is having trouble dealing with 9/11 thoughts and images, there are a few things that you can do to make things easier.                                 

1. Turn off the TV. Let me say it again: TURN OFF THE TV. Get your news online or in the newspaper, where you are not continually bombarded with disturbing and upsetting images.                  

2. Talk about how you feel. Talk to your family and friends. Journal. Express how you feel. Cry if you want to.               

3. If you don't feel better or the sadness doesn't go away, seek professional help. Call your local mental health center to find a counselor or therapist who can help you deal with your feelings and refer you to a psychiatrist if you are clinically depressed.