Handling a National Tragedy on a Personal Level

By: Dr. Kathleen Hall, Founder and CEO of Mindful Living Network

Friday’s killing spree sent many people in the nation into new levels of shock. Anger, sadness, resentment, pain and grief are the emotional aftermath for everyone involved in shooting of Sandy Hook Elementary School. This shooting masacre is second only to the 2007 Virginia Tech campus event where a lone gunman took over 30 lives.

People that are affected by Friday’s event include survivors of the shooting rampage (children, teachers and staff), the community, victims’ families and friends and finally, the rest of the world that watched this event unfold.

While we wait for details to come out about the shooter, many of us are going through survivor’s stress, guilt and grief. Without properly dealing with and managing this level of stress and pain, physical symptoms like headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and heart disease can manifest themselves. Please take a moment to stop and consider these stress and grief tips:

• Talk about it. Share your feelings with others to reduce stress. Releasing these feelings through communication will help you cope.
• Surround yourself. Spend time with family and friends enjoying the emotional support bonds bring.
• Limit your exposure. After living through it, you do not need to relive it. Avoid images of the disaster as well as 24-hour news channels that play the footage again and again.
• Busy yourself. Anchor yourself and your mind in any activities you enjoy. Keep your mind busy with reading, watching movies or get yourself moving by taking a walk or going for a run.
• Take care of yourself. Utilize our S.E.L.F. care methods and avoid alcohol and caffeine, which will make you more anxious and depressed. Browse our site for articles on S.E.L.F. care.

We are all shocked and filled with sadness for the victims and their families. If you need more information on managing survivor stress or grief, please email me at kahall@mindfullivingnetwork.com.

Dr. Kathleen Hall, internationally recognized lifestyle expert in stress, work-life balance and mindful living, is Founder and CEO of the Stress Institute and The Mindful Living Network. Author of 3 books; Uncommon HOPE, A Life in Balance and Alter Your Life, media including: The Today Show, Dr. OZ, Oprah and Friends, Martha Stewart Living, USA Today, CNN, FOX, and Forbes. When she is not at work, she commits her time saving animals’ lives through Habersham Humane Society. For more information about how to get in touch with Dr. Hall, visit: www.stressinstitute.com.