“If I was watching this at home I’d be crying,” said senior political science major Peggy Grenier as she watched events unfold Tuesday morning on a television in the Woodbury Campus Center. “You just don’t expect things like this to happen here.”
Shock, fear, and anger were just a few of the emotions being expressed on Tuesday as students sat glued to television sets on both campuses, where emergency vigils were being held. Even for students who didn’t have loved ones to fear for in New York or Washington, the violence of the attacks delivered a psychological shock. To help students cope with the trauma of the events, University Health and Counseling Services set up several meeting and discussion sites, as well as opening the doors of their offices to students seeking one-on-one counseling.
“Safety needs are some of the most basic needs humans have,” said Bill Gayton, Ph.D., chair and professor of Psychology. “It’s incredibly traumatic when we’re put in a situation to realize that the world isn’t a safe place. Talking is a good attempt to gain balance, but it won’t happen overnight.”
Fear of the unknown, the most common reaction to safety threats like those presented to the nation on Tuesday, can bring up many different reactions in people, said Kristine Bertini, director of UHCS. Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness can lead to a desire to place blame and vent anger, often in unproductive ways.
“Some people will assume that it’s one group and direct their anger at them,” said Gayton. “If the enemy is not known, you direct your anger at the suspects. It’s much easier to process if there’s someone or something to direct your anger towards.”
Bertini warned against acting on the impulse to place blame, stating that it can be destructive to community, which is essential during times of struggle.
“Although we don’t have control over the world at large, we do have control over our own community, our relationships,” said Bertini. “It’s important to support each other.”
Bertini suggests taking steps to build a community of support as a means of coping with sometimes overwhelming feelings of fear and vulnerability.
“Reach out. Just ask somebody how they are. Check in with loved ones,” she said. “Simple words of kindness can make a world of difference in times like this.”
For some people, however, seeking solace in community might not be enough. Many react strongly to the violent images from the events being portrayed on television, which brings the tragedy to a very personal level.
“Once this gets into your consciousness, it’s very hard to lose it,” said Ira Hymoff, Ph.D., of UHCS. “Towers coming down, people jumping, corpses. It brings shock and empathy that can be very, very overwhelming.”
Resident assistants and staff are being trained in trauma counseling, and UHCS has a 24-hours hotline for those in need of emergency counseling.