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WHAT IS HAPPENING
TO ME? IS I T NORMAL
THAT I FEEL THIS WAY?
T
errorist attacks pose a break from our view of
the world: a more or less safe and pleasant
place to live in. These events alter people's li-
ves and may lead us or someone close to us, to go
through really tough times.
The reactions that we are going to discuss below are
deemed normal human reactions to stressful events,
such as terrorist attacks, which cause people to feel
defenseless, vulnerable, terrified. and fearful of lo-
sing their life or that of their loved ones.
It is important that everyone understands what we
are going through, if we have been affected by an at-
tack. It is necessary to understand that our reactions
are the way in which our body tries to cope and over-
come what happened. Reactions as diverse as not
being able to sleep, not remembering what happe-
ned, feeling guilty, or being unable to feel anything,
may scare us and make us think that something is
wrong with us, that "we are going mad", but they are
just normal responses that are aimed at protecting
us from suffering and from experiencing new losses.
When those affected come to understand that these
reactions are normal, they are one step closer to ac-
cepting them and making them disappear, to move
on with their lives in the healthiest possible way.
We hope that these pages will help you understand
what you are going through, as well as what is nor-
mal for you to think, feel and do in these situations.
After explaining what normal reactions are, we will
show you simple guidelines to control them and
thus, contribute to accelerate your natural recovery
process.
TERRORIST ATTACKS ALTER
PEOPLE’S LIVES AND
GENERATE UNPLEASANT
EMOTIONAL REACTIONS,
WHICH ARE COMPLETELY
NORMAL
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