About September 11th Anniversary: PTSD? Anxious & Stressed? Here's 1 Way to Cope

Feeling September 11th-Related Stress?

Defense Dept's Free New Mobile App for Consumers, "Breathe2Relax," Could Help Brooklyn & New Yorkers Relax as 9-11 Anniversary Approaches

Many people in Brooklyn, and indeed all of New York City, still suffer some form of post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or intense feelings of loss from the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. Some media outlets have suggested that the estimated number of New Yorkers suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder as a result of 9/11 approaches a half million.

So it's good news, as the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, that the US Department of Defense recently announced a free, effective new stress-busting tool that people can use to relax when experiencing the symptoms of PTSD.

However, the application is currently only useful for those with certain types of mobile phones.

As the 10th anniversary of 9-11 approaches, this free mobile phone app, announced as a PTSD intervention for consumers by the US Department of Defense, may help some residents of Brooklyn, and New York City in general, to cope with symptoms such as shortness of breath, bad memories, general anxiety and stress related to their experiences of September 11th, 2001.

It's a mobile phone application called Breathe2Relax, for iPhones and Androids (available at end of July 2011).

It's easy to use. And, it's a freebie from the US government.

The program, which you can access on your phone as easily, say, as a game or a photo gallery, helps people relax simply by breathing.

(Download the Breathe2Relax app here)

What Does Breathing Relaxation Have to Do with the Department of Defense?

Breathe2Relax was developed by the National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2).

According to a Department of Defense press statement dated June 14 2011, the National Center for Telehealth and Technology, located at Joint Base Lewis- McChord, WA, serves as the "primary Department of Defense office for cutting-edge approaches in integrating technology with psychology."

How It Works

“Breathe2Relax helps with one of the most common effects of PTSD,” explains Dr. Perry Bosmajian, the T2 psychologist who led the application’s development, in the press release. “It’s a tool that’s continually available to anyone who needs to reduce their stress.”

"Breathing exercises have been documented to decrease the body’s “fight-or-flight” stress response and help stabilize moods, control anger and manage anxiety. ”

A video on the National Center for Telehealth and Technology website offers graphics and instructions about how to use Breathe2Relax. It also further explains the body’s reaction to stress, and shows proper breathing techniques during the exercises.

Four Pros of Using Mobile App for September 11-Related Stress Relief, PSTD Management

For Brooklynites worried about getting through the September 11th anniversary (and who happen to have the right kinds of mobile phone), the following considerations make this a possibly effective way of dealing with feelings that come up around 9-11:

1. Assuming you have the right phone, you can take it with you.
2. You don't need a prescription, and it doesn't involve changes in what you eat or whether you exercise.
3. Nobody needs to be aware that you are taking, literally, a five-minute breather.
4. You can customize it by adding your own images and music, too.

And heck, you're breathing anyway, so what's the big deal to monitor it a bit?

Residents of New York City, including those who live and work in Brooklyn — and those who lost loved ones and friends, saw the attacks, or faced any of a myriad of 9-11 related emotional, logistical, financial and existential challenges — might find Breathe2Relax a very useful tool.

That's especially so in the lead-up to reminders of the tragic events of September 11th — notably the tenth anniversary events before and on September 11 2011, which are likely to generate intense media attention.

"Breathe2Relax" Application is Part of Larger World of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

"Breathe2Relax" is just one of many non-pharmacological approaches to stress management. It's particularly interesting, of course, because it's available via mobile technology. However, the same results can be accomplished by people who just learn the techniques and do it on their own.

Breathing techniques are an established method of stress reduction in the relatively new field of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine. To learn more on this topic, visit the National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine which researches a gamut of interventions, from breathing to yoga to acupuncture.