National Telecommuting Institute, NTI, Reflects on How 9/11 and Other Tragedies Affects Mental Health

MA, UNITED STATES, September 11, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The September 11 disaster caused physical and mental health conditions for thousands of people. According to data from the NYC Health Department WTC Health Registry, 20% of adults that were directly affected by the disaster had PTSD symptoms 5 years after the attack. This rate is four times higher than normally found in the general population.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD symptoms include intrusive memories such as flashbacks, nightmares, or unwanted memories of the traumatic event. Avoidance symptoms like steering clear of reminders, places, or conversations related to the trauma are also typical. People with PTSD tend to have persistent negative thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, and/or emotional numbness. PTSD can also cause people to be easily startled, feel tense, have trouble sleeping, or feel irritability.

“We need to recognize that tragedies like 9/11 and school shootings affect more than just those that are physically injured in the attacks.” said Alan Hubbard, NTI’s President and COO. “The mental health toll of these horrific events are immeasurable.”

“Even when children aren’t directly involved in school shootings, they are deeply affected by them and often experience anxiety and depression as a result,” says Kira Riehm, a postdoctoral fellow at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

According to the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health, there were almost 1,500 school shootings in the U.S. over the past 25 years.

For more than 25 years, NTI has been supporting Americans with disabilities and their family caregivers through training programs and work-at-home job opportunities. For more information, visit www.NTIcentral.org.

Leah Terrasi
NTI
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