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10
WH AT A M I
S U P P O S E D TO D O ?
A
midst all the normal reactions that peo-
ple usually have in the face of a terrorist
attack, perhaps one of the most common
and widespread are those of avoidance. We pre-
viously commented that it is normal to avoid thin-
king or to even deny what happened in the early
stages. Such avoidances also affect what we do. To
mitigate the suffering caused, it is normal to try and
pull away from anything that may hurt us, and avoid
everything that is related, in one way or another, to
the attack (places, people, situations, etc.). This type
of avoidance is sometimes unconscious, involuntary,
or non-intentional. .
•
It is normal to avoid everything that is related
to the situation in which the attack occurred,
including similar situations, people, or activi-
ties.
For instance, it is normal to not want to come
into the station where it occurred, to travel by train
or to simply travel, as well as to avoid those that
somehow remind you of what happened, images
on television, or even talking about it with other
people.
•
It is normal to seek support in drugs to over-
come the situation
but you must be careful be-
cause, although there is nothing wrong with using
them initially as an aid to withstand the situation
and help you rest, medication should always be
prescribed under medical supervision, and you
must be aware of the fact that it is not the most
appropriate treatment option to overcome a trau-
matic situation.
•
It is normal to try to seek solace or forget about
what happened by drinking alcohol in modera-
tion,
but it is important not to do so excessively,
and bear in mind at all times that alcohol is not a
solution to overcome trauma and may indeed wor-
sen things as it increases the risk of lack of emo-
tional control.
•
It is normal to isolate ourselves from others,
especially when we think that they cannot help or
understand us, because what happened makes us
wary of human beings in general.
The fact that these stress reactions are normal and
very frequent at first, it does not mean that those
who do not react in this way do so "abnormally". We
should always bear in mind that there is no single
way to cope or react to these experiences. It is as
normal to either emotionally collapse or not, as it is
to either run or stand still, forget or remember every
detail, or to let off steam or not wanting to talk about
it. There is not a single way of reacting.
While most of the reactions that we may have after
a negative event -such as a terrorist attack- are ne-