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Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 5:23 PM

Subject: ThyroidNews

A REASON TO AVOID THE NEWS COVERAGE ON SEPTEMBER 11TH?If you’re like me, the September 11th tragedy completely turned your life upside down. While I had friends and family who were in Manhattan in the vicinity of the Twin Towers, friends who worked at the Pentagon, and an indirect family connection to one of the people on a crashed airliner, I personally was not directly involved in the tragedy. But like many, I was glued to the television night and day for literally weeks, as F-16s droned overhead day and night. My first airplane flight, in early October of 2001, was preceded by a week of intense anxiety and heart-pounding stress. Months later, I still felt drained, anxious and disturbed by the whole situation. Turns out, I may have had a case of post-traumatic stress syndrome simply from exposure to coverage, and peripheral exposure to the tragedy, and I’m not alone.A recently published study found a substantial percentage of people outside New York City reported symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder that continued for up to six months after the tragic events of September 11. "Those who watched the events unfold on television can also be affected by them. 'Culture' is the lens through which the world is perceived," reports Grant, Ph.D., psychologist and international trauma consultant. People who experience secondary or vicarious trauma from watching traumatic events often fall through the therapeutic net and are less likely to seek help, Dr. Grant says. "The events of September 11 were experienced both as primary and secondary, or vicarious, trauma," Dr. Grant says. "Trauma, by definition, involves experiences that overwhelm an individual's ability to cope and hence to make sense of certain life events." Symptoms of vicarious trauma are stress, chronic fatigue, diminished self-care, headaches and various somatic complaints. Unresolved trauma can result in autoimmune impairment, substance abuse and premature death, Dr. Grant reports. Limiting exposure to the events is one way of lessening their impact, according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. This September 11th, you may want to consider turning off the television and radio, and commemorating the day in a way that may be less stressful to you and your health. Reading the news in a newspaper, for example, is far less frightening than seeing the visual images on television or listening to reactions on the radio, the Centre reports. THE ROAD TO RESILIENCE: TIPS FOR REBOUNDING FROM ADVERSITY Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, uncertainty appears more and more to be a way of life. Whether death of a loved one, loss of a job, serious illness, terrorist attacks, or other traumatic events, how we respond to these experiences can enable us to more effectively manage these situations and enjoy life despite difficult times. What enables people to deal with hardship? It involves resilience, an ongoing process that requires time and effort and engages people in taking a number of steps. Resilience is "bouncing back" from difficult experiences. "Now more than ever people seem open to reexamining their lives and finding new ways to cope," said Russ Newman, Ph.D., J.D., the American Psychological Association's (APA) executive director for professional practice. "Resilience as a way of responding to adversity, challenges, and even chronic stress, is something which can be learned." To help Americans understand the role of resilience in their lives, the APA and the Discovery Health Channel launched a new public education initiative entitled "The Road to Resilience." Among the resources developed to better equip individuals to manage troubled times, consumers can obtain a free brochure for tips on building resilience and insight into changes that may accompany this process. Some useful steps contained in the brochure include: Make connections. Good relationships with close family members, friends, civic groups or others in the community are important. Accept help and support from those who care about you and will listen to you. Avoid seeing a crisis as an insurmountable problem. Try to look beyond the present circumstances to how the future may be better. Note any ways in which you might already feel somewhat better as you deal with difficult situations. Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals, and do something regularly that enables moving toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem beyond reach at the moment, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?" Keep things in perspective. Even when facing very painful events, try to consider the stressful situation in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing the event out of proportion. Take care of yourself. Pay attention to your needs and feelings. Engage in activities that you enjoy and find relaxing. Exercise regularly. For a free brochure call toll-free 1-800-964-2000. A co-produced documentary, entitled Aftermath: The Road to Resilience, will air on the Discovery Health Channel on September 11, 2002 at 8 p.m. The special presents profiles in resilience from people of diverse ages in dealing with the events of September 11th as well as other hardships that define many of our lives. ASK THE EXPERTS: DEALING WITH YOUR DOCTORS!Periodically, various experts answer questions regarding your health, thyroid disease and related issues. In this issue, internationally known internist and women’s health expert, author and champion for patient rights and responsibilities Marie Savard, M.D. responds to a key question many patients have. Question: As a patient, what can and should I do if I'm calling with an important question (a problematic, uncomfortable -- but not emergency room-worthy -- symptom, or a prescription is running out and I urgently need a refill) and I simply cannot get the doctor to respond, or get what I need from the office. Every time I call, the office staff say they'll pass on the message, or I leave voice mail messages, and I don't get a call back from the doctor. And if I reach staff, they say "We've passed this on to the doctor, but we can't make him or her call you back, we'll just leave another message," etc. -- Betty Dr. Marie Savard Answers: I wish I could give you a straight and sure-fire answer, but I can't. You first must ask yourself whether you trust your doctor and want to stick with him/her for the long run. Because if you have not established a longstanding relationship and you could readily change doctors then that makes the most sense. On the other hand, many people really don't have a choice; either their doctor is the best in their specialty or is the only one available. In that case you need to persist. As far as the prescription needing a refill, do everything you can in the future to request the refill long before you need it. Sometimes your pharmacist will help out by calling the doctor's office for you. If you have troubling symptoms that you need to discuss with your doctor, make an appointment if you can. Many doctors prefer seeing you face-to-face. If an appointment isn't realistic then let the office staff know exactly what is troubling you and why you are so worried. Office staff usually respond better to patients that trust them to give this private information to the doctor. I can remember my own offic staff getting angry when patients wouldn't tell them exactly what it was they needed to speak to the doctor about. It is your health on the line, so kindly but firmly persist! this will have to be continued on another email, where all of the information is included, where all of us to benift from it. gigi*