Study: 70,000 may suffer post-Sept. 11 disorder

Study: 70,000 may suffer post-Sept. 11 disorder

www.usatoday.com

NEW YORK (AP) — New data from a public registry that tracks health effects of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks suggest that up to 70,000 people developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the terror attacks.

The new analysis released Wednesday from the World Trade Center Health Registry provides the most comprehensive picture yet of the health of people who were affected by the attacks. Participants agreed to be tracked for up to 20 years after 2001

(visit the link for the full news article)

Yikes! 70,000 people is a lot. That's what really surprised me about this article. A couple thousand with asthma.

20 years to be tracked is a long time. I'd be interested to hear what the results of the study are. Time will tell.

www.usatoday.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I think its more than that, does fear of flying and being terror attacked including in this? Some may not be as hard emotionally but one thing for sure is that many still fear Muslims flying in the same plane as them and like one old ATS post which explained a story of air travellers being suspicious of Muslims who prayed allowed on their Plane, caused a lot of fear and arrest of the Muslims. Is a basis of fear for the non-Muslims alike, but caused an argument of Islamophobia verses the post trumatic stres that that Western society still feel.

The fear might be not normal with people but people are still subconciously upset by it all and still and when Muslims try and do their prayer stuff on planes and tranes or any transport, they are bound to insight fears and reminders of what happenned. No one is going to let up to the risks anymore and everyone is aware of any tiny details that may help prevent future attacks, with being vigilant, and that is the way people
are these days because people are always on the look out and should be for all our concerns.

[edit on 12-9-2008 by The time lord]

If the premise in the OP is true, this shows a complete lack of resilience in our nation, which is quite scary. We have dedicated Armed Forces who fight for us overseas, but the rest... Are they so soft-belied?

reply to post by The time lord


I was actually thinking the same exact thing. How many other people did they miss? What about the people who don't fly now, all thanks to the attacks. So there sure as hell could be even more afflicted with this disorder.

reply to post by buddhasystem


I think the answer to your question is yes. Couldn't contribute this to the constant fear mongering our government and media are spewing? I would surely think so.....

A Disorder? That's what they're calling it?

I don't doubt the number of people, I just doubt it should be called a disorder. Our country, our safe home, got attacked. It's just being wary as far as I know, lol. Like a wakeup call, people took a look around, and saw our vulnerabilities for what they are, and have developed fear for what could be a real risk.

I just think that it'd be wrong to just say "try and forget, everything is fine" when we're still in a war with people capable of doing something like that again. It's certainly not a weakness, could be an advantage, people realize the possibilities. 'Course some people blow it all out of proportion, but I doubt all 70k people are like that.

[edit on 9/12/2008 by Kalapadea]

We are open to attacks from every angle and people are aware of this. Even getting the train is a leap of faith, it can happen anywhere because like the fear of spiders, they can creap up on you when you are asleep.

It has caused our insticts to become on edge because these attackers do no discriminate between living and dying gender or race if they have a purpose that can not be dealt with. It has made people in the West who are not used to it become alert of the unexpected. Who would have guessed the time of day and the nature of the attacks on America? It came without warning and shook the world where trust is no longer how it once was.

Yeah... but do they need to make a disorder about it? I mean a specific disorder...?

There's a disorder for just about everything these days, don't you think it's overdoing it?

I guess the disorder issue has to go deeper, I mean people may have a higher sense of fear but if the fear makes them ill as in unable to work or concentrate then you have to distinguish it from illness.

But believe it or not another from of illness has spawned from this which is the dust and smoke that has effected the lungs of people, that is also real.

reply to post by buddhasystem

We have dedicated Armed Forces who fight for us overseas, but the rest... Are they so soft-belied?

That was my first reaction too. Keep in mind we are talking about people who were on the scene during 911. Not just your average american watching it on tv.

Overall, half of those in the registry reported being in the dust cloud from the collapsing towers; 70% witnessed a traumatic sight, such as a plane hitting the tower or falling bodies; and 13% sustained an injury that day.

As a person who was there, I would urge many of the members who have posted here to choose their words carefully.

I for one am not asking for special consideration. But there are some who might consider breathing in the dead who might also be your family, friends, and neighbors deserving of a separate classification.

But that's just me.

For those that where there like SD and I.... It still bothers me and I know many others! I know people who WILL NOT go anywhere near NYC. They will drive 200 milesout of they're way when headed south rather then take I-95 through NYC. Whether or not this is a phobia or a disorder I don't know. What it is might just be a little healthy dose of feeling helpless.
Zindo

Some of you might find this article informative:
ens
You should know that most of my friends who still live in NYC won't go and get themselves checked out. Even under this new free program.

I also know many many people outside NYC that are today more affected by 9/11 trauma than a lot of my NYC friends. Like I've always said, this is not a NYC thing. Different people have different sensibilities and react differently to traumatic events.

No one, New Yorker or from Kansas, should be made to feel weak because they have developed PTSD as a result of 9/11.




[edit on 9/18/2008 by schrodingers dog]

reply to post by buddhasystem


Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is not unique to Americans or to disaster survivors, it's pretty prevalent across the board in people anywhere who have been exposed to acts of violence. It's what they used to call "shell shock" and if professional, trained soldiers are vulnerable to it, you can bet ordinary civilians are more so.

The one acquaintance I have that was in the towers and survived mostly refuses to talk about it, and gets visibly upset if it's brought up. Actually he's become kind of a shut-in since 9/11 apparently.

When you walk out of a burning skyscraper right before it collapses, and have to dodge the gory remains of hundreds of people who jumped a thousand feet to their deaths, so you can get away before you die yourself from having a giant building fall on you, it kinda leaves a mark on your mind...

Seeing that kind of stuff is difficult for trained & experienced combat soldiers, let alone office workers

aHmm...that would be 70,001, me included.

I dont drink, but i have an appetite for PILLS

I am a victim.

Thank you for the memories, AL QAEDA.

In addition to mental health related issues we also have the all the cases of leukemia, cancer, asthma, etc.

Something like a dozen cops and 20 or so FDNY firefighters and EMTs have died since 9/11 due to health issues from working in the rubble after the collapse. Tragically they are not classified as line of duty deaths and their families get jack.

Chris, I have it from friends that are detectives in NYC that there is a very strong move to persue a lawsuit over that very thing. These men and women had no medical problems before they worked there those terrible weeks but now they have and they have enough lawyers who are willing to go for class action. The lawyers are taking it probono also so the families will get all of everything won!

Zindo

The dust cloud was nasty - by the afternoon that day it had spread over the entire area.

I was at work that afternoon in Hackensack NJ, and you could see the haze in the air and smell this nasty, musty smell everywhere. My friends in NYC proper had it much worse.

It was a very sobering realization that some of that dust we were breathing in had once been human beings.

As far as the other toxic stuff in it - I'm not sure I even want to think about it.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


I don't, for one second, believe that someone who has developed PTSD, as a result of being there on 9/11, is soft at all. I was referring to the people who saw it happen on TV and are only connected to the events patriotically, not personally.

Does anyone think the number will rise or fall as the years pass?