To: Readers of www.TheLanguageOfSolutions.com/blog
From: Ellen Anmuth Licensed Psychotherapist
Re: This blog article is being updated due to the one year anniversary of the attack. The power of human spirit to be resilient is evident in the countless survivors of this bombing who lost feet and legs. A recent TV interview showed the group of amputees vowing to support a young woman facing the amputation of her leg. Many survivors described the uplifting spirit of support that helped to comfort, in light of this awful tragedy. Yes, the human spirit is so impressive. Ellen Anmuth, LCSW.
Shock, Anguish, Disbelief, Anger, Fear, Grief….these words only attempt to reflect the pain of yet another terrorist attack. The human experience can never be fully captured by language, which is merely symbolic representation of our thoughts and emotions.
As a Licensed Psychotherapist, a part of me is watching and analyzing this horrible event professionally, and another part of me that is going through all the phases of the grief process, including sleep disturbances, agitation, tearfulness, and despair.
As I listened to descriptions of the bombs used, I heard that they were positioned to target the lower extremities. People had their legs blown off. What causes a mentally ill person to create a sinister plan that attacks the legs of runners, and the legs of family members of runners?
One possible theory of this type of violence may be that people who were abused as children experience rage and a pervasive feeling of loss of control. These types of terrorist attacks may be fueled by the unconscious wish to get back at the world, and to feel some sense of control. It may be, in the mentally ill person’s mind, that if they can hurt a runner so deeply that they can no longer run, that externalization of rage may temporarily numb their own inner pain. I suspect, however, that the numbing of the terrorist’s pain is only temporary, resulting in a cycle of violent attacks that never heal their anguish.
How can everyday people become more aware of the potential for violent or sociopathic behavior in another? Hurting another person without feeling remorse is one indicator. The lack of ability to feel empathy or guilt when inflicting pain is characteristic. If someone talks about hurting an animal, and laughs about it, that is another indicator. Often, these sociopaths can be charming, and when a person drops their guard and becomes vulnerable, the sociopath uses this moment of vulnerability to attack. The attack can take the form of stealing money or other types of interpersonal violations.
After hearing about the Boston Marathon bombing incident, I drove over to the water at sunset, to connect with nature and comfort my pain. I walked over to a dock on the bay (yes, that was a wonderful song title), and started talking with 2 college students who were fishing. We started talking spontaneously about the Boston Marathon bombing, and stories of people they knew came up. I told them I was a Licensed Psychotherapist, and I believe that, in my opinion, a large percent of criminal behavior stems from a lack of mental health prevention and treatment services. I told these fine students that I hope that as they grow into adulthood, they make an impact to try to encourage more money and attention to mental health treatment issues.