The Aftermath of Another Mass Shooting: Processing Grief

Editors note: This content was originally written for Mindful Observer’s paid subscription. In the wake of the most recent mass shootings in the United States, we have decided to share it here on Medium for free.

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“We don’t even know how strong we are until we are forced to bring that hidden strength forward. In times of tragedy, of war, of necessity, people do amazing things. The human capacity for survival and renewal is awesome.”

– Isabel Allende, Chilean-American writer

Wellness Note

This week, our nation lost 21 people, including 19 children, to a mass shooting at a school in Texas. Their loved ones have entered into a grief that is both unique and unreachable. They have joined a grim fraternity of others who have lost loved ones in a mass shooting — people who are also enduring their own grief, triggered by this month’s events.

The nation, as a collective, reeled from the news Wednesday morning. And yet in much of the United States, the work and school day continued without pause.

Today, we want to reinforce the value of simply stopping for a moment. We’ll offer some solutions-focused news stories and academic research, so that when you feel ready to take your next step, you can do so with a toolkit of resources in mind.

Widely covered events like mass shootings can have wide-reaching impacts on mental health. A 2019 survey commissioned by the American Psychological Association found that 79% of adults experienced stress as a result of the possibility of a mass shooting.

The news this week can feel like it’s the latest addition to a scaffolding of horrific events — the lives lost in Buffalo on May 14, the COVID-19 pandemic, and it goes on. It’s a normal human response to be affected by tragedies like this, and vicarious trauma may cause anxiety or a general sense of helplessness.

💡Vicarious trauma is a process of change resulting from empathetic engagement with trauma survivors. It’s a state of tension that can impact facets of your life, like behavior, interpersonal relationships, personal beliefs and world-view, and job performance.

We are a long way from finding solutions for the problems we face. Taking time to recognize our responses and our needs, then taking time to care for those needs, are just small steps in processing this particular moment.

If you’re so inclined, find a moment to explore the resources below. But overall, please take time to pause.

Be well,

Dr. Christen Mullane
PhD, Clinical Psychology

Resources:

“Mass Violence Takes Toll on Americans’ Psyches” from The Washington Post: Hear from experts in a comprehensive look at mental health after mass shootings.

“Managing Your Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting” from the American Psychological Association: A four-minute read offering coping strategies.

“How to Talk to Your Child About the News” from KidsHealth: A video and tips to help both parents and children process challenging events, like school violence and mass shootings.

“School Shooting Resources” from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Offers guidance on helping children after a shooting, potential reactions to traumatic events among children and more.

Weekly Practice

Meet your heart with sound — and silence. A 2006 study found that listening to music with slower tempos (e.g. slow classical music) can relax the body. If you insert a random two-minute period of silence, the relaxation deepens, significantly reducing heart rate and blood pressure. If you’re noticing stress, anxiety, helplessness or other symptoms, give yourself permission to slow down and utilize this auditory relaxation technique.

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