 Coping
with the 9.11.01 Aftermath
9.11 Coping Strategies
Dealing
with Your Distress
 Why
We are Doing What We are Doing
A
psychological perspective on Americans response to the distress of the aftermath of 9.11.01
Content:
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Collective Unconsciousness
Art
is used to cope with emotions after New York and Washington tragedies This
CNN video shows different artists, both visual and
vocal, and how they are dealing with the tragedy that has befallen the country.
Many of the artists view the actual rendering of the art as a means of
expression beyond words. The first singer in the report, Sherry Watkins, even
says, "Those words didn't come from me, they just came through me."
There were major similarities in visual art presented about this tragedy.
These art forms creation would be explained by Jung's through his concept of the
collective unconscious. He would say that the collective unconscious of the
people is expressing itself in creative ways so as to cope with this horrible
tragedy.
The Hero Archetype
Thousand
Congregate at Yankee Stadium for World Trade Center Prayer Service
Speakers and spectators gathered at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, September 23, 2001
to pray for America, but also to recognize the American hero, one of Jung's
identified archetypes. The concept of what a hero is universal in all of us.
Heroes stand out not just by their words but by their actions. The
actions of our America's heroes spoke louder than any words on
September 11 in both New York City and Washington, D.C. We all need to recognize the heroes that are among us.
They are the
firefighters and police of not only New York City, but of every city in America.
S this CNN report
talks about the
telethon that celebrities of Hollywood helped to organize and present. This is another
example of recognizing the archetype of the hero in our society. Many often view
the stars of Hollywood and Pop charts as heroes to be idolized and followed
anywhere. Jung's archetype of hero is one of collective thought. Society
influences who is viewed as heroes. After September 11, we all changed our
definition of hero. The stars of Hollywood were coping in the only way they knew
how by reaching out and performing. They accepted Jung's idea of the hero
and used it to help raise money for all those that are suffering.
Demon Archetype
Irreverent
Pictures reflecting the mood of the nation on coping.org. Jung would describe this event by talking about the demon archetype. The
terrorists were cruel evil people who caused the victims to become troubled
people just like themselves.
Those effected may become introverted and their energy would be more
inwardly effected. This was the
goal of the terrorists, but instead, America united together. They have their demon archetype in their sites and he is Osama Bin
Laden and his Al-Qa'ida henchmen.
Coping
with Trauma One of the largest concerns that resulted
from this tragedy is the impact that it will have on America’s children.
Horney best expressed this through what is called basic anxiety, in which
a child fears being alone, helpless, and insecure.
Children are continually being exposed to the attack, through the nonstop
news coverage of those fatal flights. Prolonged
exposure to the disaster may cause anxiety and fear in a child because they see
the act over and over and thus thinking that the attack is happening in many different
places and not in one isolated area. Children who are directly
affected by this event may in fact suffer from
post traumatic stress disorder later in life.
Having a loved one, or a friend taken away from them so suddenly and
viciously will cause these children great amounts of stress.
They may become anxious, suffer from horrendous nightmares, suffer from
eating disorders, etc. Ways in
which to help a child cope with this event is through talking to them about it,
which is presented at Strategies for "Helpful Adults" in Assisting Children Cope with the Aftermath of 9.11.01
on coping.org.
America's
New War-Voices: While rescuers rushed to the scene, people rushed to their
computers. One of Adler’s major concepts was the inferiority complex. People who have an inferiority complex have feelings of
incompetence which makes it impossible for them to achieve goals.
This leaves them with the feelings that they are hopeless with no where to
turn. The inferiority complex can
in fact change to the superiority complex, which is an overly inflated high opinion.
America had lost it’s innocence and felt insecure. But its people have turned this
tragedy into the foundation of what will become the nation’s greatest
comeback. We the American people are a strong, united
nation; we will not be taken down. Those
who have attacked the US will pay. The
determination to overcome our sense of inferiority was best put into word by our
President Bush. “These acts
of Mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat, but
they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend
a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest
buildings but they cannot touch the foundation of America.”
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