Livie In NY~ Having More Difficult Time Coping With 9/11 Anniv ThanThought...

Hi Opal, I feel so sad that you have to go through something so terrible, I was crying as I watched the programs yesterday on National Geographic. Even though I lived on the other side of the globe, the feelings of horror and sadness are universal. Your fear of planes and even trains is understandable. Don't force yourself, just give yourself time to adjust your mentality again and eventually you will be able to overcome it. If it provides you relief to talk about it, come into mylot, I'm sure there are many people here who will provide a listening ear and give you support. At least you will have mine. Take care~~hugs and kisses

Hello dear, you went through hell that day and for days after. You have a right for it to stick in your mind and to affect you. It affects all of us some in different ways, actually many different ways. My daughter and I had just gotten the children off to school. We just sat down to watch tv as usual in the morning to get the days weather and to hear what happened the day and night before. We heard as it hit the tv first. Then we watched on tv as the second plane hit. We both sat here glued to the tv and crying for all that was lost and for our country being attacked. I fly a few times a year and my husband flies many many times a year so this is never far from my mind, will they take his or my plane. But I try not to let it rule me and what we do. We must go on for ourselves and for the ones that we lost. Hang in there girl and be strong! hugs....

Hi Opal26, I can imagine how horrible it must have been being so close to the actual place. I've always been terrified of flying and 1 of my worse fears are being hijacked.. I probably never see Germany again {maybe when I'm ready to die I just get on a plane and take my chances} but I'm not even close to being ready yet. My German Folks are flying in on the 15th and I know they always a little worried especially since it's such a long flight, almost 12 hours. I hope you'll get back on a plane again someday, otherwise you be stuck just like me

Hi Opal! I can imagine how much the attacks effected you. I was pretty traumatized and it wasn't even in my city. I remember getting on a plane after the attacks and I was terrified. I thought to myself over and over...they will not win..they will not win. I knew they just wanted to strike terror in people and ruin as many lives as they could. It sure doesn't help that there were more threats. Take care and hang in there.

Hiya opal, Opal, that must have been really terrifying for you. I just felt for you so much reading this. This leaves me without much to say as its such a thing that so few People have been through I did not know that you had been through that. We have lived Bomb threats here that have actually taken place I used to work in a place in England that was always a target for Bombs threats as well and we always had to practice a safety routine most times and actually evacuate the Buildings for the just in case. But what you have lived is the real thing all I want to do is hug someone who has been through that just give them a big hug. Because I can`t put all that what I saw that Day into words it just leaves struck dumb well at least it did me. Also for you having to live there too it must be a constant reminder of it all. Me I don´t know if I will ever get back on a Plane again either as Spain was hit as you know and the Bomb threats here are caused by a radical Group called ETA. You must have nightmares about all that I guess and if you do it makes you relive. Have to say although I lived around the Bomb threats the nearest one was two Streets away and it cost three National Policemen their lives it was right outside a College for Students as well across the Road from them. I also lived in a small Town where they had a stronghold of some sort not that that ever bothered me much but to this very Day I can still here the noise of when that Bomb went off and how loud it was and how everything shook. So I only know from the outside because we have been by places that have been blown up as well like Banks and places like that. So very glad that you came out of it all alive and well albeit with those problems to sort out. Big hugs to you opal it really moves me to write this as its something I never mention anymore to anyone. Take care now and hope that state of angst passes quickly and now.xxx

Hi dearest Opal, thats really a touching post. Sorry for the late answer from here but for the last two weekends I was so floored from work that I didnt get much done at all and now I play catch up a bit. I work for Workers Compensation here in Germany and so I first had to sort of translate the term PTSD, thats a Post traumatic Stress Disorder. yes dear Opal that experience was very likely to cause a PTSD so I hope you got good meds and a good therapist as well. As far as that flight to your Mom is concerned, I can understand you that you dont want to fly there right now. And I am really glad you mom understands too. hugs from me ((((Opal))))

I can see how you would be feeling this. I had family in OKC when the Murrah Building was bombed and I know lots of people who struggled with it, and 9/11 is just so much bigger. I hope you can find a way to visit your mom, maybe that does not involve flying.

WOw you were close so sad that it happened at all . After I found out it was real and not a Movie plot I just set here therest of the day and watched the tv aftr the girl I was chatting with that could see out her office window what was going on we chatted several hours then she decided she needed to find her way home. took 2 weeks to hear form her again. Y can always drive to FLorida really dont take to long if ya dont stop every where.

I still get shocked when I see those images on Tv. And I live in Winnipeg, MB. I do not know anyone who was murdered in the Twin Towers. So I can understand how you feel, being close to the situation and having friends and acquaintances who ere killed, not to mention your health was effected by the smoke and pollution of that event. And not knowing if a terrorist is on the plane with you. Those TSA pat downs do not help as it seems that they go after elderly grandmothers rather then the real terrorists, so it is a high chance that the latter would get through. I do not blame you. I have for years planned to visit New York but when I heard that they were searching and probing peo;ple who were obviousy not terrorists and trying to avoid profiling, I was sure that they would let one of the terrorists get through.

I still feel sorry for everyone affected there and around the world for that matter. I will never forget that day either. It was a scary and very sad day for so many people.

While the events of 9/11 has affected all Americans, can't help thinking it effects us more who live in the NY area, and I live even closer to Manhattan than you do. When this "present" 9/11 approached I felt very apprehensive, it was like I was "sensing" the mood of people, and I happen to be one of those "sensitive" people meaning I can "pick up" moods, vibes, whatever you want to call it. I'll never forget how the mood was for instance for a good long time after Sep. 11, 2001--one would walk on the street and people had haunted, scared expressions on their faces, and if the slightest noise occurred everyone practically dropped to the ground thinking it was a bomb going off, when it was only a car back-firing. 9/11 really did change everything. While many other countries have dealt with terrorism for decades (like Northern Ireland, Middle-East)--9/11 showed Americans that we weren't immune to terrorism and our lives have never been the same.

Somehow stuff like that doesn't worry me. Maybe it should. Hope you're feeling much better now...

I cannot begin to imagine what you folks in NYC must go through everytime you are reminded of the circumstances of 9/11. PTSD would just be one of many things I would encounter. I have panic attacks and am on medication for it. If not I would probably have had some stress yesterday. Programs were on every station and talk about all around. I didn't watch any of it. I was out of work when it actually happened and spent days transfixed by the news cast telling the country story after story of families and all the rest. I had enough of it then.

We all, I am sure think that you being in close contact as you discribe is a frightful experience and make out how ever need be.... I will pray for you dear, so you will ammend to get over your fright so you can fly again. Ask God to keep watch over you as you wish a visit to spend time with your mother, and maybe friends and family. Thanks for sharing, May the Lord give you strangth...

I had no idea your circumstances when that happened. It seems like I've been on mylot forever, but 9/11 was way before I found mylot and way before I met you. With those surroundings I can't even imagine the pressure cooker. I don't blame you for canceling the trip. We can tell ourselves all we want we will be fine, but that doesn't really do a lot for our peace of mind. I wish I was there to give you a hug.

Hey, Opal, nice to see you, even under these circumstances.

Last night I watched it all over again on the History Channel....and I almost got sick seeing it all over again. I can't imagine how it must have been for you! I didn't remember alot of it....but when the twin towers fell...I just started crying. They did a remarkable job of reviewing what happened. I can see why you can't get on a flight. I go to Germany next June and watching last night made me a bit hessitant too....I can't imagine what you went through being so close to what happened!

Opal26, Let me just say that 9/11 does have its ramifications and I am sad at how much it had gotten into nice people like you. Other than trying to move on from your depression and fear of flying, I really hope that you would try hard to take the first step forward to dealing with them. Because there is nothing that will help you other than yourself which I hope you will realize this. I know it is not easy but you have to deal with it somehow in order to get out of this rut. Like you, I was shocked and could not help feeling paranoid even when I board on the planes to travel. I was even very easily agitated with unattended bags in the airports but I just tell myself that if it is my time - then it will be, otherwise enjoy as much of the day or it (that I am doing) as I can. Knowing that my reaction will cause a chain of other reactions, I just left those thoughts aside and move on. On the anniversary, I have to say that it was indeed a very emotional day for everyone and I even heard that there was a threat waiting to take place at the memorial too. I am just glad that it was incident free. However, I just cannot understand some of the insensitive signs on the ground, since this is a memorial event. I felt they could actually voice it somewhere else and/or another time. I hope that through this America will not stop or regress back with their national security and that they would take every threat information seriously. Pardon me, but 9/11 was just another Pearl Harbor to me and I hope mediocrity ends with 9/11. P.S. I hope you will get over your feelings and fly to Florida soon to be with your mother. Take care.

I am so sorry that you experienced this Opal. So very sorry. Friends of mine out here lost their daughter as she was in the FBI Building. We did not know what to do so opened up our Church for an ecumenical service and told all the hotels so USA citizens came in droves. all we could do was to pray and try to console them. Not much I know. We lost 17 Jamaicans in total. May all the souls of those killed rest in peace and may perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.