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As a result of an accident in the metropolitan metro on the stretch between the stations of the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya branch “Victory Park” and “Slavyansky Bulvar”, 20 people were killed, 160 were injured. Many have already been seized by panic – people are afraid to enter the subway, they are worried about their loved ones who have to use the subway every day. How do you stop fear from flooding you?
A man-made disaster always causes fear and confusion. The peak of acute experiences falls on the first ten days after the incident. The strength of experiences is connected with our previous experiences, negative memories or unconscious traumas suffered in childhood. The tragedy seen on TV seems to bring us back, forcing us to relive helplessness, a feeling of dependence on others. The first 2-3 days are especially difficult for anxious, impressionable people and those who have already experienced similar dramas. Here are some practical steps to help deal with shock.
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Fear, despair, panic – these intense experiences may seem out of place if the tragedy has not affected us personally. Hence the involuntary desire to restrain, not to show their feelings. “Unspoken emotions increase internal tension and anxiety,” says psychologist Sergei Enikolopov. – Therefore, it is so important to talk about your feelings with relatives, friends or psychologists. Talk about your fears with loved ones, and in as much detail as possible. Speaking will help ease tension, “calm down” fear. If you are a listener, do not rate the story of the experience. Let the interlocutor talk and feel your support. A great responsibility now rests with relatives, friends, colleagues of those who were affected by the accident in one way or another.”
You can talk and get professional help by calling the helpline. Many years of experience in working with those who have experienced extreme situations has been accumulated at the Moscow Service for Psychological Assistance to the Population (helpline 051) and at the Moscow City Psychological and Pedagogical University (children’s helpline 8 (495) 624-6001).
Cut down on news programs
Melodramas, historical films, anything but news and disaster films, especially in the first days after the accident. By constantly listening to the news, we increase our anxiety and lose touch with reality. “Strong impressions from TV shows give a deceptive feeling of involvement in the flow of life, and a sharp reaction to them is a consequence of the fact that a person loses contact with his own feelings and ceases to realize what is related to him and what is not,” says psychologist Marina Khazanova.
Analyze the situation
We live in a world where no one is safe from threats, there is no absolute security. Nevertheless, an accident in the subway, if you look at what happened in terms of statistics, is still a rare case. “The subway is a much safer mode of transport for us than cars on the streets or even our own feet (there is always a chance of slipping, injuring, etc. when walking,” says social psychologist Hakob Nazaretyan. “Even at home, the probability of dying in an accident is much higher than in the subway.”
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Do not infect your children with your fears
The footage from the news programs, which is presented as absolute truth, is in fact edited as a spectacle designed to arouse strong emotions in us. They can do the most harm to children. “It is difficult for a child to abstract from the video sequence and realize the boundary between what he sees on the screen and his daily life. Therefore, now it is not worth watching informational television programs with children, – says Elena Morozova, a child psychologist. “If the world begins to be perceived only as the focus of a threat, then all the child’s cognitive powers will be spent not on cognition and understanding of reality, but on protection from it.”
We, adults, unconsciously can infect children with our own fears. Figure out what worries you the most in this situation. Analyze your attitude to what is happening. If you manage to manage your anxiety by feeling your confidence, the child will be able to calm down – no matter what.