Menu
Dr. Weil Logo Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
  • Health & Wellness
    Health & Wellness
    Body, Mind & Spirit
    • Addiction
    • Allergy & Asthma
    • Autoimmune Disorders
    • Back Pain
    • Bone & Joint
    • Cancer
    • Colds & Flu
    • Dental & Oral
    • Diabetes
    • Disease & Disorders
    • Ears, Nose, & Throat
    • Feet
    • Gastrointestinal
    • Hair, Skin, & Nails
    • Headache
    • Heart
    • Insects & Parasites
    • Liver & Kidney
    • Mental Health
    • Pregnancy & Fertility
    • Respiratory
    • Sexual Health
    • Sleep Issues
    • Stress & Anxiety
    • Vision
    Balanced Living
    • Exercise & Fitness
    • Gardening
    • Healthy Home
    • Healthy Living
    • Meditation & Inspiration
    • Meet Dr. Weil
    • Pets & Pet Care
    • Technology
    • Wellness Therapies
    Health Centers
    • Aging Gracefully
    • Children
    • Condition Care Guide
    • Men
    • Women
  • Diet & Nutrition
    Diet & Nutrition
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid
    Anti-Inflammatory Diet Pyramid
    Cooking & Cookware
    Healthy Cooking & Cookware
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Diets & Weight Loss
    Food Safety
    Diets & Nutrition - Food Safety
    Nutrition
    healthy nutrition
    Recipes
    healthy recipes
  • Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Vitamins, Supplements & Herbs
    Herbs
    herbal remedies - herbs
    Supplements & Remedies
    suppliments & remedies
    Vitamins
    ask-dr-weil_vitamins-supplements-herbs_vitamins-topnav
  • Ask Dr. Weil
  • Blogs
    Blogs
    Bulletins
    The Legacy Of Living Yes | Spontaneous Happiness | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Health Tips
    Healthy Drinks To Start Sipping | Andrew Weil, M.D.
    Spontaneous Happiness
    blog_spontaneous-happiness_topnav
  • COVID-19
  • Dr. Weil Origins Skin Care
  • Marketplace
  • Healthy Aging
  • Podcasts
  • Meet Dr. Weil
  • Accessibility
  • Subscribe
Is It Normal for the Anxiety of 9/11 to Come Back Again?
Subscribe
Press "Enter" to search
  1. Home
  2. Health & Wellness
  3. Body, Mind & Spirit
  4. Stress & Anxiety

Is It Normal for the Anxiety of 9/11 to Come Back Again?

Just when I thought life was getting back to normal after September 11, the terrible news of the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Danny Pearl came out. I can’t understand why the death of a man I never knew brought back all the emotional turmoil that followed the events of September 11. Is this abnormal?

Andrew Weil, M.D. |March 11, 2002

This is an emergency scene including both a fire engine and an ambulance.
2 min

Updated 4/19/2005

Many millions of Americans have experienced a cascade of strong emotions since September 11th, 2001 – feelings ranging from shock and anger to numbness, depression, and helplessness. Physical symptoms such as sleep disturbances, fatigue, loss of appetite, chest pains, and upset stomachs can also be manifestations of the emotional impact of the terrorist attacks.

All of these reactions are consequences of the losses we’ve all suffered – the disruption of our lives and the alteration of our views of the world as a result of the attacks. Roxane Cohen Silver, Ph.D., a professor of psychology and social behavior at the University of California, Irvine, and an expert on how individuals cope with major life losses, sees the after-effects as profound and maintains that the terrorist attacks “interrupted the rhythm, cycles and entire social fabric of our country.” And she predicts that the consequences could last months, years, and for some people, the rest of their lives.

The answer to your question is that what you’re experiencing is not abnormal, and you’re certainly not alone in feeling as you do. It isn’t surprising that the vicious murder of Danny Pearl rekindled your emotional response to the events of September 11.

My colleague, grief counselor Deborah Morris Coryell, author of Good Grief: Healing Through the Shadow of Loss,(Shiva Foundation, 1997), says that it seems to her that we store our grief memories so that they can be easily reawakened by fresh reminders, in your case, the relatively fresh grief due to the terrorist attacks was rekindled by Danny Pearl’s death. She says that it is important to understand that grief and grieving are not diseases, but normal and healthy responses to the experience of loss.

I can only encourage you to talk about your feelings with your family and friends. A strong support system, close family ties or membership in a religious organizations are key to coping successfully with any loss, including the losses we all suffered as a result of the terrorist attacks. It is also important for you to recognize – and for those around you to understand – that there is no “normal” time for working through your emotional response to our national tragedy.

Beyond that, I would urge you to eat well and exercise regularly and try to counter anxiety and stress with relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, visualization, or guided imagery.

Andrew Weil, M.D.

Read more tips, recipes, and insights on a wide variety of topics from Dr. Weil here.

Guided Imagery Therapy | Wellness Therapies | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Wellness Therapies

Guided Imagery Therapy

Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Free Newsletters

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Follow Dr. Weil’s Food Pyramid

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil's FREE health living advice delivered to you!

By clicking "Subscribe," you agree to the DrWeil.com Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. You also agree to receive emails from DrWeil.com, and you may opt out of DrWeil.com subscriptions at any time.

Trending Now

Thoughtful woman smoking cigarette and drinking coffee
Stress & Anxiety

A Safe Way to Relieve Stress?

Woman sitting in armchair, arms outstretched
Stress & Anxiety

An Anti-Anxiety Agent in Tea?

White teacup on white textile vintage texture
Stress & Anxiety

Anxiety

Teenage girl feeling depressed after breaking up with her boyfriend.
Stress & Anxiety

Anxious in the Morning?

Get Dr Weils Newsletter Updates

Stay Connected With Dr. Weil - Get Free Newsletters Right In Your Inbox

Exclusive Lifestyle, Nutrition & Health Advice

Dr. Weil Logo Weil™ Andrew Weil, M.D.
Information
  • About Us
  • Press Information
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Manage Email Subscription
Trending Articles
Thoughtful woman smoking cigarette and drinking coffee
Stress & Anxiety

A Safe Way to Relieve Stress?

Woman sitting in armchair, arms outstretched
Stress & Anxiety

An Anti-Anxiety Agent in Tea?

Daily Tips
HA_Asian-Mushrooms_1x1_663893996
Health Tips

Concerned About Cancer? 6 Asian Mushrooms To Consider

3 Tasty Ways To Cook Culinary Mushrooms | Andrew Weil, M.D.
Health Tips

3 Tasty Ways To Cook Culinary Mushrooms

  • Flickr
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. Any third party offering or advertising on this website does not constitute an endorsement by Andrew Weil, M.D. or Healthy Lifestyle Brands.

©Copyright2023 Healthy Lifestyle Brands, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. www.drweil.com