Doreen Leone's brother-in-law Jimmy Barbella was last seen on the morning of September 11, 2001, leading firefighters up the stairs of the World Trade Center. The building's property manager never made it out alive.
After 9/11 everything changed for Leone's family. Some changes were foreseeable: Leone's sister had to raise her three children alone. But other changes took Leone by surprise. She found herself taking up a cause at a feverish pace. Never before had she been so involved. And only recently did she realize what was driving her.
Her cause: Peace. The force: Empathy.
Leone's reaction to her grief may have surprised her, but it isn't uncommon. Research is stepping out of the realm of negative trauma reactions, and into the less familiar territory of positive changes following such an event. Studies are finding that over half of the victims of a nightmarish ordeal actually report that they've changed for the better. In a study from the University of Minnesota, researchers surveyed victims of assault and reported that, across the board, the most common type of growth was increased empathy. Some 76 percent of these victims claimed to have undergone this particular transformation.
"Generally we go through life without acknowledging the suffering of others," says Joanne Davis, professor of psychology and a trauma researcher at the University of Tulsa. "In one way, it's a defensive stance we take. But when something happens to us, we can no longer ignore that these things also happen to other people."
Doreen Leone is a perfect example. She could no longer reconcile her one-time apathy toward war now that she could identify her loss with a group of people she never considered before. "I felt the sadness of innocent civilians," says Leone, "and my brother-in-law was an innocent civilian."
But Leone doesn't view her work—circulating petitions, campaigning, and regular protesting—as simply a duty she's obligated to pursue because of her wider perspective. Leone's efforts are benefiting her as much as they're benefiting others. "I was traumatized and felt so helpless," she says. "Being able to do something made me feel better."
Regaining control is crucial after a trauma, says Davis, and using empathy as a conduit is one of the healthiest ways to achieve this goal. "It's incredibly powerful to use empathy in making a difference," says Davis. And, in an effort to extract the meaning behind a disaster, acting on empathetic feelings can help provide answers. "We all ask: Why did this happen?" says Davis. "I think some people might get to a place where they can say: This has led me to do this thing—to save others."
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