So many of us woke up yesterday morning and were immediately faced with the news of the largest mass shooting in U.S. history. Learning of this huge loss of life didn?t exactly make us ready to face the week ahead?in fact, a lot of people probably had the same question: How am I supposed to function and carry on like it?s a normal day after what happened in Las Vegas"
Even if we aren?t directly involved with the shooting at Mandalay Bay that left at least 58 people dead and more than 500 injured, it?s completely normal to react to the news with a mix of feeling helpless, guilty, depressed, anxious and angry. Logically, we know feeling bad about the shooting won?t actually help anyone, but we also need time to process the tragic events and not pretend it didn?t happen. Carolyn Wagner, a licensed professional counselor and psychotherapist practicing in Wilmette, Illinois, agrees, saying, ?Our lives and day need to go on as usual,? but ?this should not be confused with ignoring what happened or not taking the time to think or talk about it.? Along the same lines, Tracee Dunblazier, a grief counselor, cautions that ?ignoring the news or pushing away the emotion doesn’t work, as it only saves the feelings to be processed for another time.?
More: What to Do If News Is a Trigger for Your Mental Health
Dr. John Santopietro, president and medical director of Silver Hill Hospital in Connecticut, was involved as a psychiatrist in the Sandy Hook shooting and has seen...