The September 11 attacks took the lives of nearly 3,000 people , leaving 6,000 injured . First responders ( police and firefighters ) , emergency medical services , sanitation workers , and volunteers were all involved in the recovery efforts . The prevalence of probable PTSD in these highly exposed populations was estimated across multiple studies utilizing in-person , telephone , and online interviews and questionnaires . Overall prevalence of PTSD was highest immediately following the attacks and decreased over time . However , disparities were found among the different types of recovery workers . The rate of probable PTSD for first responders was lowest directly after the attacks and increased from ranges of 4.8-7.8 % to 7.4-16.5 % between the 5-6 year follow-up and a later assessment . When comparing traditional responders to non-traditional responders ( volunteers ) , the probable PTSD prevalence 2.5 years after the initial visit was greater in volunteers with estimates of 11.7 % and 17.2 % respectively . Volunteer participation in tasks atypical to the defined occupational role was a significant risk factor for PTSD . Other risk factors included exposure intensity , earlier start date , duration of time spent on site , and constant , negative reminders of the trauma . Additional research has been performed to understand the social consequences of the September 11 attacks . Alcohol consumption was assessed in a cohort of World Trade Center workers using the cut-annoyed-guilty-eye ( CAGE ) questionnaire for alcohol abuse . Almost 50 % of World Trade Center workers who self-identified as alcohol users reported drinking more during the rescue efforts . Nearly a quarter of these individuals reported drinking more following the recovery . If determined to have probable PTSD status , the risk of developing an alcohol problem was double compared to those without psychological morbidity . Social disability was also studied in this cohort as a social consequence of the September 11 attacks . Defined by the disruption of family , work , and social life , the risk of developing social disability increased 17-fold when categorized as having probable PTSD
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Posttraumatic stress disorder