How to deal with anxiety related to mass shootings?

“With fear and anxiety, I dropped my children at school that next morning, having to convince myself repeatedly during the day that what I imagined in my head was only a product of fear and anxiety.”

German

The high frequency of mass shootings experienced in the past two decades has depleted our sense of safety, causing distress, anxiety, fear, and some impairment in our daily lives. In the aftermath of the Uvalde tragedy, many of us could not stop thinking about the possibility of something like this occurring at our local schools. Despite knowing that mass shootings account for only about 1% of total annual firearm deaths in the country, the impact of such tragic events makes us act in a protective mode. With fear and anxiety, I dropped my children at school that next morning, having to convince myself repeatedly during the day that what I imagined in my head was only a product of fear and anxiety. It did not help when the school went on a preventive lockdown or when the news reported a school threat at my friends’ middle school. My anxiety was so high that my children finished the school week at home as a “precautionary measure.”   

No doubt, chronic and repetitive trauma can erode people’s resources to deal effectively with present or future stressors. Unfortunately, the more we continue to see these tragedies happening in places we see ourselves frequenting, the higher the emotional impact will be. It is hard to get out of our mind the possibility of something terrible happening because we go to places where these rare events occur. In the aftermath of the El Paso and Dayton shooting, APA conducted a nationally representative survey that showed nearly one in three adults felt they could not go anywhere without worrying about being a victim of a mass shooting. When we look at children and teenagers, the perspective is not different; there is evidence that chronic exposure to these tragedies erodes their sense of security and produces anxiety and fear. It is hard to imagine what they think while living in a world where continuous active shooter drills are the norm, is almost as if we are waiting for a tragedy to happen.

If we know these events are rare in theory, how can we deal with such strong emotions that, at times, domain our rational thinking? 

For adults

1. Acknowledge your feelings are normal. Acknowledge that worrying and feeling anxious after a tragedy is a normal reaction. Remind yourself that with time these worries should slowly get better. Look for someone you can talk to validate your feelings and know you are not alone.

2. Focus on self-care. Working on a healthy diet, decreasing caffeine and alcohol intake, increasing exercise, and ensuring adequate time to rest is very important for your health.

3. Strive for balance. The impact of a tragedy makes us think negatively. Try to look for evidence that reassures these events are rare. Try to balance negative thoughts with positive ones that can help you smile. It may be hard to drop your kids at school the day after a tragedy, but it is easier if you think of the smile they will have after not missing their last day of school party. 

4. Ground Yourself. One of the biggest anxiety problems is that our mind is in the future, imagining the worse will happen. Grounding exercises can help you bring your mind back to the present, so your focus is on what is happening now and not on what could happen in the future. 

• Try to be mindful: Close your eyes and be aware of where you are, your body sensations and your actions. 
• Square breathing: First empty your lungs, then inhale slowly for four seconds, hold the breath in for four seconds, exhale slowly for four seconds, and rest with the breath out for four seconds. 
• Be present with your senses: Name two things you can hear, two things you can see, two things you can feel, and two things you can smell.
• Meditation applications: Try using Headspace, calm, or Buddhify, which can guide you through the meditation process.

5. Limit the amount of news. If you notice your anxiety is increasing with the news, it may be essential to take a break. It is crucial to inform yourself but being overexposed can increase your anxiety.

For children and Adolescents

1. Acknowledge your child’s feelings. Children must know that what they are experiencing is normal and understand it is ok to worry about these things. 

2. Foster an open line of communication. Children need to feel comfortable coming to talk to us. This would help us understand where their thoughts are and provide opportunities to clarify possible misunderstandings or false beliefs.  

3. Be aware of your reactions. Our actions heavily influence the way our children perceive the world. If they see us worrying about something, they may interpret that they are not safe. 

4. Help them feel safe. We need to make every single effort to help our children feel safe. Constant reassuring with phrases like we are safe, everything would be ok, I will protect you, and precautions have been taken to ensure we are safe need to be constantly repeated. 

5. Monitor their functionality. If anxiety starts affecting a child’s functionality, it is recommended to consult with a mental health expert.