The Emotional Impact of September 11th By George Shepeard

George Shepeard Psy.D.

This is one of the many feelings expressed by a Florida International University student following the tragic events of September 11, 2001. As that day progressed, students were packed around the Graham University Center, the student center, television sets and their faces showed the impact of the tragedy unfolding in front of them. When the buildings fell and the planes crashed and so many lives were lost, they were stunned and outraged at the same time. Some were crying openly, while many were just silent. Many students and staff members were directly affected in some way by the tragic events of that day. Some lost friends and family members. Some lost precious memories of those magnificent buildings in a hometown they loved. Many of us lost our sense of safety and security. One student felt “angry that our way of life was violated by cowardly acts of terrorism” and another realized that: “September 11 was a day of horror for me. I have never felt so unsafe and violated in my life”.

Many, in the days and weeks that followed, experienced a shared sense of overwhelming grief and loss. For some, immediate shock and horror evolved into a general sense of sadness. Loss of innocent lives, loss of freedom from fear, and a deep wound to our sense of justice were common feelings. Most of us were wondering how could so many innocent people be killed. One student reported being “…hurt by the fact that someone could be so heartless and cold.” Even as classes resumed, students needed to talk about what had happened. And we all saw the images played over and over on TV and in our minds even as we closed our eyes not to see.

When confronted with a significant trauma, there are many changes in our usual daily lives that can occur. We may experience a sense of numbness, feelings of “being in a daze”, difficulties in sleeping and concentration, difficulties in general areas of functioning at work or school and even re-experiencing the traumatic event. While each of us may have been affected differently, we were all impacted to some degree on September 11.

For people who have experienced a significant traumatic experience, the opportunity to just talk to others about what happened and how it felt can be a healing process. Many students reported that these events had a significant impact on their concentration and their schoolwork. Some dealt with the death of a family member or friend. Others worried about being drafted to fight. Still others recalled previous traumas they experienced. Staff members at the FIU Counseling and Psychological Services Center immediately provided services and support to those in need through individual sessions, consultations to faculty, classroom workshops and large group interventions.

To provide another vehicle of expression for students, and as another means to provide for the common sharing of experience, a table was set up in Graham Center several weeks after September 11. Students were asked to write some of their feelings and reactions on poster boards that were going to be placed on the highly visible Counseling and Psychological Services Center bulletin board. Many students were eager to express their feelings. Some wanted revenge, as reflected in the comment “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; 10,000 lives for 10,000 lives,” while another student admitted being “…extremely affected by this because of the loss of innocent lives.” Some wanted to fight and kill; many felt closer to some, and angrier with others. Some wanted more understanding, and some just felt helpless. Many also felt a renewed sense of patriotism and love for the country. As members of the university community stopped to read their comments, perhaps they too shared this common grief and healing we were all experiencing.

The pain of those lost and those left behind are echoed in the students’ writings. Their words speak for us all as we struggle to deal with this shared tragedy. We have been hurt and we have been changed. We continue to be affected and struggle for understanding. While we may sometimes be reluctant to share our feelings of sadness, pain, and alienation, some of us learned that reaching out may not only help ourselves, but others as well. As one student said, “We realize how fragile we are and how much we need one another.”