As I scroll through my social media, view various news stories, and try to make sense of another mass shooting my clinical brain kicks in and asks, "How is this impacting me?". How is this impacting others? How is this impacting those who have a history of trauma? I start googling and find a range of articles about these questions. Terms like secondary trauma, vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue pop up.
In this field I hear stories of horrific trauma almost everyday. Holding the pain of others by listening to the details what survivors have endured has truly reshaped my world view. I am often inspired by my clients strength and courage to trust me in helping them find the ways to cope and heal. But, it is important for me to be very aware of how the regular exposure of hearing their stories impact my interpersonal relationships and my own emotional health.
As I watch the news coverage of the Orlando mass shooting I feel anxious. Police lights, stretchers filled with bodies and the death toll count overwhelms me. A tragedy such as this brings out your emotions. There is anger, sadness, frustration, and fear. Facebook is filled with thoughts and opinions in the matter. It clearly impacts us.
The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma posted an article called Covering Trauma: Impact on the Public. It outlines some data on research conducted post 911. http://dartcenter.org/content/trauma-coverage-impact-on-public. Distress, anxiety and the impact of watching media coverage have positive correlation. But, just like any horrific incident it can have a varying effect on the person depending on their closeness to the incident, their own life experiences, and direct or indirect contact of the incident.
If you think you are struggling with symptoms of anxiety or post-traumatic stress you should consider getting support. In the clinical world we are concerned when the symptoms begin to have an negative impact on your functioning at school, work or with interpersonal relationships. Here are symptoms to consider: Unwanted thoughts/memories, feeling like you are reliving the event, physical reactions when you think about the event, nightmares, feeling numb, hopelessness about the future, easily startled, jumpy, inability to concentrate, overwhelming guilt and shame, and avoidance. There are strategies to help you with these symptoms.