OVC Handbook for Coping after Terrorism: A Guide to Healing and Recovery

The information in this handbook is intended to help you understand
your reactions to an act of terrorism or mass violence. It is
not intended to be a substitute for the role of professionals with
expertise in counseling trauma victims.

Nothing in life can prepare you for the horror of an act of terrorism
that robs you of your sense of security and, in some instances, a loved
one. No one expects such a thing to happen. Violent crime is an
abnormal event, and terrorism is even more rare. The normal reactions
to this type of traumatic disaster include a wide range of powerful
feelings that may feel abnormal to the person having them or seem
strange to those who have not gone through such a disaster. You may
feel like something is wrong with you and that the terrible pain will
never ease up.

Recovering from a traumatic event will take a long time and will not
be easy. Everyone responds differently to trauma. No one reacts in a
right or wrong way—just differently. It will help your recovery process
if you do not expect too much of yourself and of others.