03/28/2026
After yesterday’s community event, I thought it would be important to provide some education about stress response, what symptoms to expect and when to reach out for help. Whether you were in the building, knew someone inside the building or simply knew of the potential risk occurring, you could have been impacted by the event. Most of us have been exposed to some sort of news coverage of a tragic incident, including mass shootings, war and school violence. Knowing there was an unfolding high risk situation occurring in the community can bring worry and anxiety. When we are exposed to a stressful event, especially events where personal safety are at risk, we have the potential to experience intrusive thoughts, sleep disturbance, appetite changes, mood decline, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, among other symptoms. If you or a loved one are noticing the symptoms in the next two weeks, please be reassured that these are understandable responses to an unusual event. If the symptoms persist and begin intruding in your functioning, this is when you may want to seek support or guidance from a professional (physician, therapist, guidance counselor). During the initial stage of recovery after a stressful event, you want to make sure that you are taking care of yourself by attempting to maintain a similar routine, good sleep hygiene habits, providing yourself with a healthy diet and talking with loved ones about how you are doing.
Know that your words have a greater impact on those around you than you may realize. Words impacted our entire community yesterday, disrupted lives and caused many people to experience a traumatic event. Please, take care of yourselves and each other.
Find information about traumatic events, including warning signs that you may need help following a traumatic event, ways to cope, and how to find help.
