Y: Yang Rui, Presenter of the CCTV English Program Dialogue

　　K: Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Prof. of psychology at Columbia University

　　Y: The US media says that the Sep. 11th attacks have changed America. Is it so? Our guest speaker, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, Prof. of psychology at Columbia University, will talk about the impacts of the terrorist attacks from psychological point of view. She is also host of a radio call-in advisory program<注1> and a regular commentator for newspapers on relationships between men and women.

　　Y: Both President Bush and other American leaders are urging Americans to go back to life. Does going back to life mean going back to normal?

　　K: America cannot be totally back to normal ever, I am afraid, because this has totally changed the way we see our lives. In America, we had felt very safe all the time. Unfortunately the attacks on Sep. 11th have already made the people in New York and all around the country, and all around the world, I must say, feel very unsafe and be concerned, looking over their shoulders,<注2> wondering about what could happen next. Now people in New York are actually worried about sending their children to school. Mothers are worried. Women are worried about their husbands who are policemen or firemen as many of our policemen and firemen died. So life can never be normal again, unfortunately. But we are a hardy and strong people and tough. And we have been really supported, which is lovely, by people around the world. The fact that there have been so much international cooperation and support has made people feel better.

　　Y: I do believe people around the world are keeping their fingers crossed<注3> for America that they will walk out of the shadow of the Sep. 11th attacks. Can you tell us what American government is doing currently to help people go through this time of crisis?

　　K: The government is really doing a great deal and they are really putting a great effort on all rounds. We have many organizations supported by not only the American government but by other governments, too, to help families of the victims. The city government and the state government in New York are offering support for people who have lost their jobs. People of all nationalities have lost businesses, because we are a melting pot<注4> in New York. And I am particularly sensitive to what's going on in Chinese Americans because I come to China so often and feel so connected to the country. Chinatown is very close to Ground Zero<注5>swheresthe World Trade Towers go down. Just the other day I was speaking to a Chinese man who owns a Chinese restaurant that I always eat in, and people aren't coming to the restaurant because they don't want to come to the neighborhood.

　　Y: What was your immediate reaction to the Sep. 11th attacks?

　　K: I was shocked and very worried. Actually I cried. I was worried about my husband who works for the government. At the time I could not reach him on the telephone. I was here actually in Chengdu, involved in a training program. I couldn't get home right away because the planes weren't flying. So in the beginning I didn't know how my loved ones were and I was very worried. I had my Chinese colleagues with me and they were so supportive. They stayed up with me almost all night, trying on cell phones to get through. As soon as I did get home, I right away had many patients and had to cope with many people's problems, depression, anxiety, fear, anger.... Now it's several weeks afterwards and people are still frightened. They still have nightmares. And these people who areshavingsnightmares are not just those who have lost their loved ones but all New Yorkers, and people in other states are upset, too. This is a serious problem and it is very important for people around the world to realize that it is a universal problem. There were <注8>0 countries that had trade centers in World Trade Towers...

　　Y: To my knowledge, America was divided in the 2000 presidential election campaign. Why is it that Americans became so united overnight?

　　K: This is psychologically what always happens in a war—to put aside your differences when there is a common enemy. The Republicans and the Democrats have been at odds<注6> on so many issues in America. Now they have put aside their differences and given their bilateral support. It happens also in personal relationships. People can be different in many ways and when war happens and there is a common enemy people suddenly put aside their differences. We have to work together. Obviously America, Russia and China have their differences but they are united now. This is what we call a silver lining to a dark cloud.<注7>

　　Y: It is said that seven out of ten Americans seem to be depressed. What can you do as a professor of psychology to help them calm down?

　　K: Well, the most important and the first thing that I do is to let people know that the feelings they areshavingsare normal and these are common reactions to this kind of crisis. They should respect these feelings instead of being afraid of them and trying to suppress them. Allow them to come up and talk about them. In America some people are ashamed of such feelings. They say, people were dying and the World Trade Towers were collapsing, why should I be upset about the fact that I can't concentrate on work? So they have what we call "survival guilt". So I am saying to people, your problems, not being able to sleep, feeling depressed, not being able to concentrate, being angry with your husbands and wives about not listening to your feelings...these are normal feelings in this crisis. This is reassurance that you are OK and you are important. Give yourself time to heal.

　　Y: Has it occurred to you that depression, sleeplessness, the problems with marriage and families all constitute what we call overreaction to terror and that could be something that terrorists want to see?

　　K: Absolutely. They wanted to make us more frightened. And to some extent that has happened. Some people are frightened. But fear is normal when you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. So you need to accept your fear and here goes my phrase: feel the fear and get on with your life anyway.

　　Y: I remember someone who's an American said that America has nothing to fear except the fear itself. Does this apply to the current situation in America?

　　K: Well, actually besides fear there is this emotion of anger, too. People around the world are angry. They are angry even in personal relationships. For example, in my work of counseling couples, I have found that there are two trends. One is that some couples want to get married. We call it "war and wedlock".<注8> These people figure whatever can happen tomorrow, so we might be happy today, make a commitment and get married. I predict there would be more babies nine months from now. During the San Francisco earthquake, for example, hospitals reported there were more babies. By the opposite token, there have been some women who have said to me that they are unhappy with the way their husband reacted to the Sep. 11th tragedy. Men react differently to tragedy than women do.

　　Y: What's the difference?

　　K: Men tend to defend their feelings and they want to do something about it. They don't want to talk about how depressed and anxious they are. They want to keep a stiff upper lip.<注9> That is a typical kind of male reaction. Women want to share their feelings. They want to call their husbands on their cell phones. "I am just feeling unhappy. I just want to hear your voice. It'll make me feel safer to know you are OK. I am upset. I am worried about my children today." Men don't react that way. I have some women say to me, "I am thinking of a divorce because my husband is not talking to me and helping me through this difficult time." I would say to the woman, look, in this type of crisis, men have a different style in coping and you should give him time, be more tolerant and accepting of his style of protecting himself from being upset; give him time and don't look for a divorce now. And I would tell the man, be more open and help her with her feelings.

　　Y: You are talking about anger. Anger may lead to violence and violence begets violence. I remember in the movie God Father, the Don said, don't hate your enemies because that would affect your judgements. What do you think of this thought?

　　K: You are right. Anger and fear gives enemy their rise. So it's very important to stay calm and to continue to be loving in your family and towards your neighbors, your country, towards other countries who are supporting you. This is also, by the way, part of what The Art of War propounds,<注10> never show your enemy that you are afraid.

　　Y: Has there been a drastic increase in the number of church-goers?

　　K: There has been a drastic increase in all people seeking support in all ways. There have been many more congregations. There are lots of events going on in New York. Famous musicians are putting on concerts; people areshavingscommunity meetings spontaneously in parks, to show their love and support of each other, to show their neighborliness as their way of coping with this tragedy.

　　Y: Some psychologists complain that the press has given too much coverage to terrorism, and that may arouse people's fear and cause panic. What do you think of the role of the press? Is it playing the right role?

　　K: Well, I am part of the press. I am really wearing two hats.<注11> Well, I know there has been such criticism, but we do have free press and we believe it's important for people to know the truth of what's happening. So I think what the press is doing to inform people is important. I know there are some people who have said, don't turn on TV for that would only worry you when you see what's going on in the war. Yet people check TV in the morning, at night, during work to know the fact. There are two issues here. One is you need to know the fact. Second is that you need to deal with the feelings regarding this and I firmly believe the free press we have is informing people and it's my role and that of my colleagues to deal with what the facts are.(逸云 整理编写)