24 years after the 9/11 attacks, many people are still emotionally impacted by the weight and memories of that day.
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Vickie Brown said it is natural that the sting has faded over time for some. But Brown said others tend to connect powerful emotions with negative events, which is why the memories of 9/11 are still fresh for many.
“It really is stamped in your memory,” Brown said. “Much like a timestamp, where you just can recall where you were and what you were doing and what you were feeling. And even conversations you have.”
Brown said it is common for people to recall every detail of a traumatic global event because of how emotionally impactful they are. Brown said this is much less common for happy or positive events.
Brown said similar emotional impact may be felt from life experiences like a death in the family, medical diagnosis, or a major car accident.
Brown said some people may not recall the exact feelings of that day, but anniversaries can serve as powerful reminders of the emotions felt.
“When 9/11 happened, it kind of shook our sense of security,” Brown said. “And we kind of had an all new awareness of threats of terrorism and the safety of the world. I think most Americans felt really, really secure in our position in the world, and safe. And 9/11 took that from us.”
Brown said since the attacks, most Americans have become more hypervigilant in terms of threats. She said nationally, people may feel as if the isolation, security, and invincibility America seemingly has is no longer there.
Brown said she does not hear as much about 9/11 specifically in the Upper Cumberland, but she thinks it is a much more common therapy topic in areas where more people were impacted. However, Brown said major events still impact people to the point of major changes. Brown said this was exhibited by the changes in travel and getting identification documents.
“I think Americans, and rightfully so, think more cautiously about where they travel,” Brown said. “I do hear, I have conversations like that in appointments. And I think it’s good to talk through those things with your provider. The stress, the anxiety, and the trauma from events like this, it’s important to process how you feel about those things.”
Brown said it is important to create a safe space to navigate difficult emotions. Brown said people should also be wary of how much stress inducing content they consume, and know when to take a break and do something else.
