As Massachusetts marks a decade since the Boston Marathon bombings, many people will pause to reflect on the three lives lost that day and the dozens of others who were physically hurt by the violence.While these remembrances are a way for communities to grieve and express resilience, some mental health experts warn that for countless people who suffered anxiety and other psychological harms from the attacks, this week may bring difficult emotions to the surface.
Several therapists and psychologists suggest that for those who find the commemorations upsetting, there are steps you can take to lessen the impact of those emotions.
Avoid events that are reminders of the tragedy
“I no longer watch the marathon,” said Manya Chylinski, who was at the finish line on April 15, 2013. “I went back in 2014 so that I would make sure that I wasn’t afraid to go back. But I’m not interested in watching the runners anymore. It has just lost the excitement for me.”Chylinski, 57, can vividly recall sitting in the bleachers, just yards from the finish line, when she saw the first bomb detonate.“I was standing there looking, I think, directly ahead, and a bomb exploded across the street from me,” Chylinski said. “I don’t know how I knew, but I knew it was a bomb, and I was frozen in place.”Chylinski wasn’t physically hurt. She made it through the crowds of frightened people and gathered with her friends near the Back Bay train station, a few blocks away. She said they all just looked at each other, not fully understanding what they had witnessed. Unsure what to do next, they parted and went home.
When to seek help from a mental health professional
When a person experiences danger, experts say the brain can essentially get stuck in a pattern of response to that threat. Dr. Alisha Moreland-Capuia, founder and director of the Institute for Trauma-Informed Systems Change at McLean Hospital, explained that fear is a survival mechanism: The brain stores fearful memories to remind us to avoid similar situations. Problems arise when emotions like fear and anxiety don’t shut off.
“We’re not designed to be under chronic stages of stress and/or fear,” Moreland-Capuia said. “When it doesn’t turn off, and it starts to get in our in the way of our ability to function and to do everyday life, that’s when we’re starting to kind of move or brush up against the edges of a post-traumatic [stress disorder], a more chronic process that would really benefit from some additional expert support.”
Studies have shown higher rates of depression and PTSD among those who experienced or witnessed the bombings. On this somber anniversary, Moreland-Capuia said it is normal to recall what happened, but remembering should not interfere with daily tasks or remain top of mind.