BERKELEY MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE
Grief & Trauma from Gun Violence
Violent deaths (homicide, accidents, suicide) can trigger unique qualities of traumatic grief. With the prevalence of gun violence occurring and shown in the media, it's crucial to understand the effects of these events. The mental health toll does NOT only affect those closest to gun violence.
Some mental health effects of gun violence to look out for:
Depressive episodes, anxiety, trauma, post traumatic stress disorder, intrusive thoughts, sleep problems, substance abuse, self harm, and personality changes.
Advice to Parents and
Caregivers
Acknowledge what is happening
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Silence can communicate the idea that its not ok to talk about hard things
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Ask questions like “did you hear about the shooting, what questions or worries do you have?
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Make sure not to stereotype the perpetrator/make assumptions about the person(Mental health is a good example: 1 in 4 adults experience mental health issues, the majority are not violent.
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Remind child that there is compassion and care in the world: Emphasize the amount of people who care ex. who took care of the victims.
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Provide a sense of safety and security
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Remind them that the adults in their lives are doing everything they can to keep them safe and protected.
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Watch out for signs of emotional stress listed above.
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Look into getting child professional help (Grief counseling, therapy, etc.)