It’s September 11, 2021. Twenty years ago today, my focus was on a black tie dinner that I was planning for 1,100 VIPs. It was scheduled to take place at the New York Hilton that week. I learned quite a bit about my ability to manage a crisis that day, but it took a new job, a four-year standing appointment with a psychiatrist, and a Zoloft prescription to get my mental health back on track. Before, I get a bunch of comments — Yes, it took a lot of prayer too.
Even though I was suffering from panic attacks, I didn’t think I needed to seek mental healthcare. I wasn’t physically hurt, nor did I lose a loved one that day, so I convinced myself that I was one of the lucky ones. I was too “blessed” to be “stressed.”
Little did I know that bystanders can suffer from trauma too. So, if you ever feel that you are experiencing some type of anxiety, don’t minimize it and don’t “bless” it away. You don’t have to be “in the thick” of a crisis to experience trauma from it. Get the help you need, so you can heal. Take it from me.
Love and Soul Always, Kawania
Photography: Shutterstock
