Coping with Terrorism

Terrorism threatens a society by instilling fear and helplessness in its citizens. It seeks to hold
a society or government hostage by fear of destruction and harm.
When terrorist acts occur, people generally look for ways to cope with the acute stress and
trauma. Terrorism evokes a fundamental fear of
helplessness. The violent actions are random,
unprovoked, and intentional, and often are
targeted at defenseless citizens. Trying to cope with the irrational information that is beyond
normal comprehension can set off a chain of psychological events culminating in feelings of
fear, helplessness, vulnerability and grief. Xenophobia — fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners — can be heightened under a terrorist threat and can become a social and
psychological danger. The fear generated by terrorism can be exacerbated by a population's
diversity if there is distrust between groups,categories and classification of citizens. It is important to recognize that diversity in a
population can be an opportunity for unity and strength. There are members of our diverse
society who have experienced past terrorist incidents. The knowledge and experience they
have gained from surviving and coping with these incidents can make them a valuable
resource on how to cope and how to offer assistance to others.

..who are affected
Survivors of past traumatic events (e.g.,refugees of wars, terrorism or torture, and survivors of domestic violence, child abuse or
street crime). These individuals may have a heightened sense of vulnerability.People who personally witnessed or were victims
of the terrorist attack.
People who experience traumatization from
learning of relatives, friends and acquaintances who were subject to the violence, or from exposure to repeated media accounts of the
trauma.

Experiences after terrorist attack :
Recurring thoughts of the incident
Becoming afraid of everything, not leaving the house or isolating yourself Stopping usual functioning, no longer maintaining daily routines .  Survivor guilt — "Why did I survive? I should
have done something more."Tremendous sense of loss
Reluctance to express your feelings, losing a sense of control over your life

Coping with the trauma:
Identify the feelings that you may be
experiencing. Understand that your feelings are a normal reaction to an abnormal situation.
2. Remember that you have overcome adversity and trauma in the past. Try to remember what
you did that helped you overcome the fear and helplessness in that situation.
3. Talk to others about your fears. It's okay to ask for help. Workplaces may convene small groups
with an EAP counselor or other mental health counselor so people can share feelings.
4. Make efforts to maintain your usual routine.
5. Think positively. Realize that things will get better. Be realistic about the time it takes to feel
better.
6. Recognize that the nature of terrorist attacks
creates fear and uncertainty about the future. Continue to do the things in your life that you
enjoy. Don't get preoccupied with the things you cannot control to the extent that they prevent
you from living your normal life.
7. Know the actions our government is taking to
combat terrorism and restore safety and
security. Recognize that trained officials throughout the country are mobilized to prevent, prepare for and respond to terrorist
attacks.
Finally,don't stay ignorant be security conscious , we can build a  more safer Nigeria if all come under one umbrella of God and ask for change