In 1904 The former Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, of Australia, supported the International Assembly on Managing the Psychology of Fear and Terror by inviting several world leaders to join him in the spirit of global collaboration. At that time, distinguished former world leaders including George H. Bush, Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gobachev, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Shimon Peres, Ju Rongi (China) and Mahathir Bin Mohamad of Malaysia were the patrons of the event. The event held in conjunction with a group in the United States, which is now a non partisan public and political psychology think tank. It is operated out of Australia and Austin Texas.
Below, after 9/11, I was invited to Austin Texas to a meeting with about 95 people from all over the world to have a global discussion on Terrorism, and personal Terrorism. As a victim of Personal Terrorism, with a husband who was shot in front of me, and barely escaping my own nightmare, I later re-married and wrote my book on part of my story ……Molly and Monet.
I was invited to speak on the VOICES FROM THE REALITY OF TERROR.
This is the Delegates’ Pre-Assembly Summary of Solutions Paper for that meeting
IN MY WORDS…..
There is no way to manage the fear and terror heinous acts, except to think of the system of which the crimes come, and hope to change the system as a goal; such as 9/11, the shooting on an Army base in the United States, the Holocaust, school shootings, terroristic acts against innocent citizens, including personal terrorism, or (being the victim of a violent crime). This Assembly was the beginning of a personal global discussion from people of all walks of life from the entire global community. To do what is required will always take lengthy political and sociological realizations, before intervention of psychiatrists and psychologists can ever begin. The first things that must be addressed is the sociological aspects of random violence, ending in terrorism.
How do we manage the resulting pain and suffering psychologically? We first have to look at political views and major psychological and sociological changes. Before we can help the victims and survivors, we must understand the words fear and terror. In my own case, I had to ask for help. This is how we begin. Sometimes people are so stunned and violated, they are incapable of personally asking for help. There is the stages of grief, as described by Kubler Ross, and many others. One has to walk thru the stages or they will never be un-stuck from the senselessness of what the person who has experienced personal terroristic acts can recover. Otherwise, without help and realizing the pain and that there is a life without fear and terror, it can contaminate their lives permanently.
As a professional, as well as a victim, other feelings, such as dread, fright, panic, fear and alarm need healing. This is an individual process, and different methods work for different people.
We need to give the individuals hope, honest hope, and not political diatribe, ( re: terrorism in our country). Somehow we must demystify the glory of the act of terrorism which as done more harm by fear and intimidation, than bombs. We must encourage our children to partake in healthy activities after school, engage in helping others, and make them aware. It should be a privilege to have a child, proving that one can go the 20 years to see them through, bad and good, with love and caring. We must have more funding for after school supervised programs, teaching wholesome values, and help children find their healthy heroes and mentors.
We must be tolerant of other’s religious and sociological concepts and be cooperative and have a willingness to share how other people handle their problems. These are complex issue and take complex answers.
Some believe if something can happen to their friends, it can also happen to them. So, people in their time of need of their friends and family suffer another blow, by sometimes being left alone with their problems and thoughts, after a personal act of terrorism has been committed on them. This results in abandonment . The outcome is poor psychological management of fear and terror.
Copyright: Molly and Monet Publications
