Tragic events happen so often that the typical consumer has become desensitized. However, some tragedies can still cause a deep emotional response. Saturday’s shooting in Tucson, Ariz. was just another reminder of how quickly innocent lives can be taken – 14 people were injured and six were killed.
Even though most people don’t know the shooting victims personally, many were still emotionally affected by the deaths, injuries and safety concerns involved with the shooting. There can be stress, anxiety and even depression after hearing about such events in the news. Although there are multiple stories about survival and compassion, there can still be a teary-eyed reaction upon reading about the shocking recovery of Gabrielle Giffords after being shot in the head, the intern who is thought to have saved her life, as well as the husband who gave up his own life to help save his wife.
Two psychologists in Arizona shared their views on emotional responses related to such tragedies like the recent mass shooting, as well as how to cope with these events.
Stephanie Vitanza, a licensed psychologist in Arizona, specializes in trauma cases and hadn’t heard any clients talking about the shooting as of Monday. However, she explained that a common reaction after tragic events like the shooting is shock, disbelief and surprise.
“What we see next often is looking for answers why, and then we do see the depression and the anxiety and more of the sadness and the anger,” Vitanza said. “That’s where we might begin to see distressing symptoms occur.”
The response and coping strategies depend on the individual. For example, someone who has a history of depression or anxiety, or someone who is stressed often, could have a greater emotional response and take longer to get over certain catastrophes.
She added that for someone who had to deal with a stressful or distressing event in the past, the new event could “reopen all those feelings.”
The best way to deal with an emotional reaction after such upsetting events is to turn to friends and family for support.
“If they do feel like their reactions are becoming an impairment in their functioning … then they should seek additional help,” Vitanza said. This includes work and social life impairment.
She suggests not changing daily routines because of a certain tragic event.
Also, the reactions people have aren’t necessarily unusual.
“We try not to over-pathologize people,” Vitanza said. “People are probably having normal reactions to an abnormal event … it’s okay to have these different feelings.”
Libby Howell, a licensed psychologist and marriage and family therapist in Tempe, has a specialty in relationships and trauma. She has had one client bring up the topic of the shooting so far, and she expects that more people will.
The unexpected and tragic nature of the event, as well as the death of the 9-year-old girl, seem to lead people to have a connection to the shooting, even if they weren’t present.
“Somebody at the age of 9 dying is even more unbelievable, and I think that triggers feelings of concern about their own safety and their family’s safety,” Howell said.
These type of events are kind of like “background noise” that people might not be aware of.
“It disregulates the nervous system,” Howell said. “If your nervous system is disregulated anyway in the case of prior trauma and a lot of anxieties, you’re already activated and this just further aggravates and activates your nervous system.”
Shutting down or feeling out of control are some effects of disregulation, she said.
“It’s something as a practitioner or clinician that I’m going to be aware of,” Howell said. “I’ll be sort of asking myself a question – how is this figuring in? Are people more disregulated, more agitated, more anxious because of it? More preoccupied?”
There can also be distrust and safety concerns.
“On the other hand … in a positive way maybe there’s a greater awareness of people one loves and reaching out more,” Howell said.
She has some advice more dealing with such a devastating event like the shooting.
“[Minimize] the amount of and [control] the amount of information,” Howell said. “It’s to be aware but not to overindulge in the drama.”
Being healthy and taking care of the self in general is also important, including exercise, healthy eating and social engagement, as well as stopping to appreciate even nature, she said.
People have to be more aware of themselves and their environment during this time, including realizing a preoccupation with negative and catastrophic thoughts, she added.
“Recognize [the thoughts] and bring yourself back to the present moment in terms of what you’re doing,” Howell said.
Staying focused on what's happening in the present is important, since distractions, being inside your head and concentrating on negative thoughts can lead to forgetting where objects are placed and even more importantly it can lead to more accidents, she added.
"They're all kind of signs that we're not really present," Howell said.
Besides taking care of the self, she said people can be more present by focusing on something outside of themselves, like nature or even stopping to appreciate a picture.
How do you cope with hearing about tragic events like the recent shooting in Tucson? Share your stories below.
Sources:
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/01/09/20110109gabrielle-giffords-arizona-shooting-tucson-man-saved-wife.html
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/01/09/20110109daniel-hernandez-gabrielle-giffords-arizona-shooting.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/11/AR2011011103183.html