Learn to Cope with Your Anguish after a Tragedy

You are probably struggling to understand how tragic gun incidents could occur in public places like a city hall or a university and why something so terrible happened. There may never be satisfactory answers to these questions.

However, what we do know is that we often experience different reactions in the wake of such a traumatic event. Feelings like grief, numbness, shock, fear, anger, disappointment, and distress are just a few of them. You may have trouble sleeping, concentrating, eating, and remembering simple tasks. It is a common occurrence that should be temporary.

Over time, the loving support of family and friends can help lessen the emotional impact, ultimately making the changes brought on by the tragedy more manageable. You may feel like the world you live in today is much more dangerous than yesterday, and it may take some time to regain your sense of stability.

In the meantime, you may be wondering how to continue with your daily life. In the days and weeks ahead, you can strengthen your resilience—your ability to successfully cope with adversity.

Give the Accident Site a New Meaning

This recommendation will depend on where the crime occurred and the significance that space has for you. Having to clean up the place where the accident occurred can be quite traumatic, so to start, the best thing you can do is hire a crime scene clean up. Then it will be up to you whether you want to visit that place again in the future or not. For example, some people plant flowers, paint a mural, or even demolish a building.

If the accident happened in your house, you can move if you want, but you could also remodel the space or take out the old furniture and replace it with new ones so that it does not remind you of what happened. The goal is that in the future that place will no longer cause you anxiety or panic attacks, and that you can give it a new meaning.

Accept Your Feelings

Do not try to ignore or deny them. You may feel hurt, angry, anxious, exhausted, or something else, or you may feel numb. These are all normal reactions. Talking about it with people who care about you can help you process the emotional effects after a difficult event. Cry if you need to. Some people find it helpful to express their feelings in writing or creatively, such as painting or music.

Maintain a Mental Balance

If you feel overwhelmed by tragic events, it is easy to forget the positive side of things. Try to offset feelings of pessimism by remembering the acts of kindness and goodness that people perform every day. Offsetting your point of view can help when you feel like the world is a dark place.

Reduce Your Exposure to the Media

Once you know the facts, it is recommended not to watch so many reruns of what happened. It is important to be informed, but constant exposure can increase feelings of distress. Try to take a break from the tragedy and the feelings and thoughts that emotional news brings.

Focus On What You Can Control

The images we see, the stories we hear, and our thoughts about what happened can increase our anxiety levels. It can make you feel overwhelmed and hopeless. Try to focus on what you can control, like learning how to react to danger, or responding in a meaningful way, like volunteering or making a donation.

Turn to Others for Support

Being alone with your thoughts and emotions means no other voice in the conversation. Other people can offer different perspectives to talk about what you are going through. This can comfort you and help you move forward. It can be helpful to talk to others who have had the same experience.

Draw on Compassion

Interacting with and helping others can change your mental and emotional focus. Doing helpful things and being kind to other people can open your heart and renew your spirit. It can be a powerful antidote to the inhumanity of violent attacks.

Learn What is Being Done to Protect Your Community

The more you know about what happened, the more effective steps you can take to minimize risk and increase feelings of safety. Make sure you get information from a trusted source, such as the Department of Homeland Security. Make sure you follow the guidance of state and local authorities, including law enforcement.

Trade Fear for Awareness

Being afraid all the time does not help. It can limit our focus. It can be helpful to be aware of what is going on around you to notice if something unusual is happening with people or their behavior. But fear focuses on what could happen and loses sight of what is happening. A sudden feeling of worry can be an important signal that something may be wrong. If you are afraid most of the time, there will be no room for that momentary feeling, which serves as a clue.

Stick to a Normal Routine and Lifestyle as Much as Possible

When there is an attack, life can feel chaotic in many ways. The structure and predictability of routine tasks help us feel ordinary as we act normally. For many, it can be emotionally liberating to face fear in this simple but powerful way.

Give Yourself a Break

Sometimes it can be difficult to focus and concentrate after a traumatic event. Your energy level may be low. Be patient with yourself. Do not overload your routine. Give yourself a little extra time to accomplish tasks.

Conclusion

Experiencing a traumatic event is something that could happen to anyone and could leave serious after-effects if the person does not have the necessary tools to deal with the stress generated by the trauma. However, if you apply the recommendations in this article, you will get your life back on track sooner than you imagine. But always remember that you must be patient to heal. Little by little, you will return to normal.