Pentagon Employee Recalls 9/11 (04:43)

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Dr. Sanjay Gupta describes the fight-or-flight response, a psychological reaction that helps respond to danger. Army veteran John Thurman revisits the Sept. 11 attack that destroyed his office at the Pentagon and led to his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder.

PTSD and Survivor's Guilt (03:33)

Thurman describes the first symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder that he experienced upon returning to work. Gupta explains PTSD, which can occur when an individual’s fight-or-flight response is altered by trauma. Symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks and depression.

Stress Responses (01:45)

“The Upside of Stress” author Kelly McGonigal distinguishes the fight-or-flight response from other responses to stress. A “challenge response,” for example, is a healthy reaction that helps those who feel it rise to challenges; and a “tend and befriend” response can strengthen relationships.

Dinner Party (05:52)

Connecting with others is the idea behind an organization called the Dinner Party. Guests at the group’s parties are connected by the shared experience of loss. Group co-founder Lennon Flowers discusses the loss of her mother to lung cancer and overcoming the taboo topic of death.

Health Impacts and Managing Stress (06:42)

Gupta explains how stress impacts health; prolonged stress is linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. Hall shares techniques for lowering stress. Thurman uses yoga to keep PTSD at bay, and he teaches a class at the Pentagon where his journey began.