A lot has been happening locally and globally. It may feel like these devastations are happening in higher frequency than before, and perhaps they are. While it is disheartening to see that these tragedies are occurring, let us not forget that there are many ways to grow from it, help our community and contribute for the greater good.
It is normal to struggle with how to feel and what to think when tragedies happen. If you need to take some time off from thinking about it, that is okay. There is no right way to be as you try to grasp what has occurred. Allow yourself time and space to process how you think and feel. You can do this by talking to others about what happened and share what is on your mind with a trusted friend. Allow room for some reflection about your own life. Perhaps journaling, painting or using art as a medium to express your emotions. Then, decide what you want to do about it. The act of “doing” doesn’t necessarily mean you only have to give your time or money to places that create change. It can also mean a mental shift in your own world view. Perhaps you want to practice more gratefulness, mindfulness and overall acknowledgement of the life you are leading. You might want to limit the amount of social media and news you consume. Maybe you want to spend more time volunteering with the affected communities. It is so very important for each of us to gage our capacity to give both mentally, physically and financially and act accordingly to our abilities.
More resources below:
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/coping-stress-natural-disasters
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/recovering-disasters.aspx
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/mass-shooting.aspx
https://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/coping-in-the-aftermath-of-a-shooting
Thien Pham, LMFT 