Managing and processing feelings connected to gun violence
Author: Dr. Jada Jackson Hill, Ed.D, LMHC, LPC
When planning to attend a weekend community event or buying school supplies for your kids, you probably aren’t thinking about the possibility of preparing your family for a dangerous encounter. Or maybe you are in light of recent events.
Gun violence has become an increasing stress point for individuals over the past few decades. In fact, 75% of U.S.-based adults said that their fear of mass shootings is a factor in planning to attend events.[1] That stress and fear factor is now also extended to sending children to school after catastrophic events such as Columbine, Sandy Hook, and most recently Uvalde.
How you respond to these stressors and fears is unique to you. Stress impacts us all in different ways. Everyone has their own natural response. Some are easily overwhelmed while others seem to become more focused. While scientists have found that one’s response to stress is partly innate, much of it is learned.
However, when stress factors are repeated and consistent enforcement of our fear exists, our mental well-being is put at risk. “In the twelve years between 2009 and 2020, 1,363 people were shot and killed in the United States in a mass shooting, and 947 more were shot and wounded. The reach of each mass shooting stretches far beyond those killed and wounded, harming the well-being of survivors, their families, and entire communities.” [2]
Entire communities are now riddled with fear and stress, and the reverberation can be felt nationwide. Parents have been suddenly hit with a collective emotional response, school systems are desperate to secure their facilities, and teachers are being trained for active shooter engagement. This is not how back-to-school routines have been over the years. After the Uvalde shooting in Texas, parent groups emerged to ask relevant questions concerning the physical and emotional well-being of their children; and the impact of vicarious stress on school-aged children and their families rippled throughout many communities nationwide.
Vicarious stress happens when we are exposed to stressful events, directly or indirectly. The continued exposure to stressful events through media impacts the emotional and psychological stability of our personal and professional lives causing us to experience emotional stress. This type of experience can be caused by various events, including loss, extreme life changes, health issues, severe stress, anxiety, or depression.
If you or someone you know are experiencing symptoms related to fear and vicarious stress, here is some additional information to assist because emotional stress shouldn’t be ignored.
Understanding emotional stress due to life changes or events. Emotional stress can be defined as a heightened reaction or fear that occurs after serious life or societal events.
Emotional stress can occur because you lose a friend, family member, or psychological security.
Stress can also occur from a buildup of suppressed emotions that come from work, family, or others. Natural disasters, unemployment, divorce, separation, and other life events can lead to emotional stress as well.
Physical issues associated with emotional stress. The mind isn’t the only part of the body that is affected by emotional stress. You can also suffer physical symptoms related to stress.
Headaches, insomnia, fatigue, body aches and pain, and other symptoms are common.
Consequences of emotional stress. During emotional stress, you may not be able to think or plan properly. You may have negative thoughts and severe sadness.
• The consequences of this type of stress can range from loss of work to loss of relationships.
• You may feel isolated and lose relationships. You may also suffer financial issues and
setbacks.
Peer Support services are a support resource. You may benefit from a support service that helps you deal with emotional stress.
Speaking with someone who understands what you are feeling and can relate to the fears you are facing is powerful. When you connect with a peer based on these shared experiences you are able to safely disclose what you are feeling and begin processing all that you are facing.
Listeners On Call is a peer support service that enables members to connect anonymously 24/7 so that support is always just a call away.
Therapy as a treatment option. If you are experiencing emotional stress that has escalated to stress induced trauma, professional counseling is a powerful support option.
Counseling psychology professionals can help you find coping strategies and work with you during emotional stress.
They may prescribe medications to help you deal with the stresses of day-to-day life during this time.
Take some time away. A vacation can help you navigate emotional stress and reset your sense of normalcy. It can allow you to temporarily escape the daily issues that are creating the stress and give you time to “reset.”
Taking a vacation can help you reduce stress and achieve clarity. It can also help you find a different perspective on the life events that cause stress.
Addressing individual needs. Emotional stress can differ greatly from person to person. Each situation is unique and requires a special approach.
A single approach may not properly address emotional stress, so it is important to consider multiple options.
When facing emotional stress head-on it can feel overwhelming, but help is available. You and your loved ones don’t have to navigate it alone. Reaching out and connecting with individuals that understand what you are facing can support you in overcoming emotional stress and moving forward with new tools to navigate the unknown.
Gun violence is something that we are all facing and navigating in our own way. As a community, we are stronger when we face these stressful realities together. If you need to talk, we are here to listen.
Reference:
1. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2019/08/fear-mass-shooting