How 9/11 trauma can still affect mental health 25 years later

The impact of September 11, 2001, did not end when the attacks did. Even 25 years later, the events of 9/11 can still affect how people see the world, connect with others and cope with difficult experiences.

Dr. Melanie Pinkett Davis, assistant vice president of clinical services at Kennedy Krieger, says the impact can cross generations.

"When we think about the current workplace, there are so many generations that are currently in the workplace," Pinkett Davis said. "There were those of us that were alive when the events occurred and some who were not."

That means some people remember living through 9/11, while others know the events through the stories and images passed down to them.

Ground Zero workers heavily affected

For people who were at Ground Zero, the experience could be especially difficult.

Davis says having a strong support system can play an important role in how people cope after a traumatic event.

Police officers and firefighters often have established communities and specialized training to help them respond to and process difficult experiences. But construction workers and others who went to Ground Zero to help may not have had that same support.

"If I work in construction or am just there to lend a helping hand, I may not have that network or village surrounding me," Pinkett Davis said.

Pinkett Davis also shared the story of a woman who was working on the 21st floor of the first tower.

She said the woman was at work when the smoke alarms sounded. There was not a well-established evacuation plan, but the woman chose to leave. As she made her way down the stairs, she encountered first responders going up into the building and telling people to get out.

Experiences like that can stay with people long after the immediate danger has passed. Still, Pinkett Davis says healing does not necessarily mean returning to exactly who you were before a traumatic event.

She describes this as post-traumatic growth, which can involve changing the way you spend your time, the commitments you make and the people you choose to have around you.

Images and sounds can be triggering for victims

Memories of 9/11 can also resurface unexpectedly.

Pinkett Davis says images can have a powerful effect, much like sounds can trigger memories for veterans. That can be especially difficult today, when images of 9/11 can appear unexpectedly on social media.

She says people can choose to step away from social media or limit their exposure to content about 9/11 if they find it upsetting.

Ultimately, Pinkett Davis says remembering 9/11 can also remind us to make the most of the time we have. "One of those resounding messages after 9/11 was that you could do everything right and tomorrow is still not promised," she said.

Experts say there is no right way to observe the anniversary of 9/11. For some people, that may mean taking time to remember.

For others, it may mean stepping away from distressing images and focusing on what helps them feel safe, supported and grounded.