Reveals that survivors of the terrorist bombing of New York City's
World Trade Center in February 1993 are showing symptoms of posttraumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). Study of effective therapies for survivors by the
Anxiety Disorders Clinic of the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center;
How revisiting the scene of the 'crime' each day affects the victims;
Clinic contact point.
By
PT Staff, published on November 01, 1993
POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
The terrorist bombing of New York City's World Trade Center shocked
the world for a few dramatic days last February. But it's having far
longer-lasting effects on the thousands who were trapped inside.
Bomb survivors have been flocking to the New York Hospital-Cornell
Medical Center with the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD)--a condition usually associated with combat veterans and prisoners
of war. Researchers at the hospital's Anxiety Disorders Clinic are now
quietly trying to figure out how such terrorist-instigated attacks affect
their victims--and what therapies treat the haunting ghosts of trauma
most effectively.
Twin Tower inhabitants may be even more inclined than the survivors
of other atrocities to suffer from PTSD symptoms, which include
difficulty sleeping, intrusive thoughts, and a heightened sense of
vulnerability. Unlike war and rape victims, observes psychologist and
team leader JoAnn Difede, Ph.D., they're forced to revisit the scene of
the "crime" each day at work.
Anyone who was in the World Trade Center on the day of the bombing
and is still having trouble dealing with the experience, please call the
Anxiety Disorders Clinic at 212-746-3761.
PHOTO: What the terrorists never see: trauma's effects on the
victim's psyches.(JIM LUCKOSKI/BLACKSTAR)
Tags:
anxiety,
anxiety disorders,
anxiety disorders clinic,
atrocities,
blackstar,
bomb survivors,
combat veterans,
cornell medical center,
dramatic days,
intrusive thoughts,
joann,
new york hospital cornell medical center,
prisoners of war,
psyches,
PTSD,
ptsd symptoms,
rape victims,
scene of the crime,
stress disorder,
terrorism,
terrorist bombing,
trauma,
twin tower,
World Trade Center
