Anniversary Reactions to Disaster and Trauma

Suzanne Zilber, Ph.D. Student Counseling Service, Iowa State University

Anniversary reactions are a re-experiencing of a traumatic event that occurs because of a time cue. A time cue can be anything that was associated with the time the trauma occurred, from the season of the year, to a specific day. It may be a particular smell in the air, or events that occur regularly at that same time. During these times, feelings about the traumatic event can come up and be almost as strong as they were right after the event. The media focus on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks will offer many visual and other cues to remind us of what occurred and what we felt, increasingly the likelihood of anniversary reactions.

Anniversary reactions may include feeling jittery, sad, angry, impatient, panicky, and having negative dreams or images intrude on you. You may feel generally fatigued and be having difficulty concentrating, sleeping, and eating normally. It is important not to judge yourself or others if you or they are experiencing these normal reactions. The tips for coping with these reactions are the same as for when you have just experienced a trauma:

Physical: Normalizing disrupted patterns

Try to sleep regular hours
Eat a balanced diet at regular intervals - even if you are not hungry, eat a little at each mealtime
Exercise moderately each day. A brisk walk will do.
Seek medical attention if stress is making an existing medical condition worse.

Emotional/Spiritual: Managing our feelings

Create a schedule of study and recreation and stick to it
Be selective about your exposure to the media
Talk about your feelings
Reach out to family and friends
Recognize that thoughtful people of goodwill may have different opinions from yours
Express yourself creatively (singing, dancing, cooking)
Do something fun; laughing at serious times is OK
Escape in healthy ways (exercise, movies, games NOT overeating or abusing drugs or alcohol)
Pray or meditate
Seek out religious or spiritual communities
Avoid making major life decisions at this time
Seek support groups or counselors if you continue to feel distressed

References:

Angie Panos Ó 1995-2002, Anniversary Reactions: A Survivor’s Guide on How to Cope, www.Giftfromwithin.org

Department of Veteran Affairs,

Your Counseling Service:Timely, confidential, and professional assistance is available at the UniversityPsychological Services Center(8:00am – 5:00pm, M-F) for UC students located at 316 Dyer Hall. Phone (513-556-0648) or stop in for a no-charge screening interview.