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| Student cringes at double meaning
of birthday |
Hugh Kellenberger
Staff Writer
CRSA / Housing Beat |
Monica Geraci | The Appalachian |
9-11 will be a day of remembrance
for all Americans. Rebecca A. Johnson, a freshman elementary education
major from Statesville, will be celebrating her 18th birthday as
well.
Johnson was in her first period class, Computer
Applications, at West Iredell High School last year when the World
Trade Center towers and Pentagon were attacked. |
She said she remembers
running to her second period classroom to tell her teacher she was
going to go find her mother, who worked at the school.
“I was in shock. Then I was worried. Then
I got depressed,” said Johnson.
She said she watched television for the rest of
the day, trying to find out any details she could.
Johnson’s uncle was scheduled to be in the
World Trade Center at the time, but at the last moment he sent someone
else in his place.
That person’s body was found around Christmas,
said Johnson.
“I was supposed to go out to dinner with
my family and a few friends at Red Lobster, then come home and have
cake and ice cream,” said Johnson.
They did have cake and ice cream, but dinner was
put off until the coming weekend, said Johnson.
“Usually my mother pulls out the video camera
and opening presents is a big production, but last year she just
took Polaroid’s,” said Johnson.
She had to go to work that night at Pet Pros in Statesville but
ended up listening to the radio with co-workers, said Johnson.
Johnson’s initial reactions are not unusual for anyone that
witnessed the 9-11 attacks.
“If [9-11] carries special meaning, independent of the terrorist
attacks, such as a birthday, what perhaps was once a date that triggered
memories of friends, family, fellowship and fun is now indelibly
linked to one of the most horrific events in human history,”
said Dr. Kurt D. Michael, assistant professor of psychology at Appalachian
State University and a licensed psychologist.
“For virtually everyone, events such as these often lead to
acute symptoms of panic, physiological arousal, general anxiety,
extreme feelings of vulnerability, depression, hopelessness, grief,
emotional numbing and even rage,” said Michael. “Indeed,
in the short-term, these symptoms should be referred to as ‘normal
reactions to abnormal situations,’ given the severe and traumatic
nature of these events.”
Often times in the face of danger, people will attempt to be with
loved ones, or at least contact them, said Michael.
“It is also common for those who experience or witness such
profound tragedy to immediately take stock in all of the things
that matter most, [such as] family, friends, priorities, and even
our spiritual pursuits,” said Michael.
For most Americans, this past year has given us time to work through
those initial feelings.
“[After 9-11] many of us called into question our basic assumptions
of safety and perhaps our previous invulnerability to such acts.
As a result, an overwhelming sense of deep despair and even hopelessness
came over us, followed by a not so uncommon feeling and desire for
revenge,” said Michael. “Now, almost a year later, many
of us retain profound feelings of sadness and anger, but also a
sense of knowing that we never wanted to have in the first place.
It is hard to describe this knowing, but you can see it when you
look into the eyes of most Americans today; it is part shock, part
sadness, and has the look of a child who has lost their innocent
naivete.”
Those most at risk to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTTD), said
Michael, are those that were directly impacted by the events, have
a history of being exposed to traumatic events, or have an inadequate
support network of family and friends. These groups are more susceptible
to fall into chronic depression, anxiety, and alcohol and other
drug abuse.
“One should seek as much social support as possible when coping
with the memories of 9-11 and the personal implications of these
events,” said Michael. “Talking about and reprocessing
your thoughts and feelings about 9-11 with family, friends and clergy
are essential in the healing process.”
Michael said other ways to deal with the effects include: investing
time in programs of overall wellness, such as an exercise program,
musical pursuits, social events and other activities that may redirect
energy into a more healthy direction; going to individual and group
therapies designed to systematically address concerns, which are
offered by the Appalachian State University Counseling Center; or
going to community groups and clinical practitioners in Boone that
are “highly trained and skilled in working with individuals
who might be struggling with more chronic and debilitating reactions
to the terrorist attacks,” said Michael.
The past year has given Johnson time to reflect and work through
her initial feelings.
“You try to deny it for a while, why couldn’t this wait
a day,” said Johnson. “I have to get over it. I get annoyed
when people do the ‘I am so sorry’ speech. I am not sorry.
I can celebrate that I am still here. [The victims of 9-11] cannot
celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, anything anymore.”
However, the events still play a role in how she will celebrate
her birthday this year.
She will still go out to eat with her parents and friends, but,
she said, “I don’t feel like I can have a real big birthday
for several years.”
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