School shootings can prompt serious feelings of distress, even for those not involved or connected to the events.

The impact of shootings on survivors, families and communities is well-known. But it’s possible many students not involved in the event may struggle in coping with trauma or stress, said Frank Ochberg, a clinical professor of psychiatry in the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University.

The Daily Orange spoke with Ochberg about how people, especially the college-age demographic, can cope with tragedies such as the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead.

The Daily Orange: What’s your best advice for dealing with stress related to traumatic events such as school shootings, even for those not directly impacted?

Frank Ochberg: If you’re somebody who’s dealing with someone else going through a major trauma, and you’re feeling some of the post-traumatic stress yourself, it’s good to know a little about why they’re feeling that way.

After the Florida shooting, many of my patients were upset. The problem with post-traumatic stress is you can’t control your memory. Your memory comes at you when you don’t want it to. Some memories are embarrassing or anxiety-provoking. I’m an expert witness for women raped in college, and there’s a strong embarrassment component, as well as feeling they could be killed.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a medical condition in which there has been an event as traumatizing as a brain injury. It means you have recurring nightmares or flashbacks at least once per month. If you have it, you may feel you are losing your mind. You are not.

The D.O.: What else should we know about the distress?

F.O.: You feel numb, you avoid people, you avoid doing things that used to please you. It’s important that people exercise, eat well and find something to help them laugh. Ask about their religion. You could have trouble sleeping or eat too little. You could be on edge or easily startled. You may not really feel like having sex … Realize it’s just a medical condition that can be resolved with treatment.

The D.O.: Is there a line as far as helping a friend? Can you be too supportive or force advice on a loved one struggling to cope?

F.O.: You don’t want to tell people how to cope. There is a temptation to give advice on how to think. There’s a great desire to be helpful. But sometimes just showing up or listening is helpful … If you want to be helpful, do something practical, don’t tell them how to feel. If you show up, that’s 90 percent.

The D.O.: What sorts of distractions can we make?

F.O.: To feel stress following these events could be for a reason. It might be that you are dealing with something in your own life. College-age is a time a lot of these issues come out. It’s when you could have your first episode of fairly serious depression or schizophrenia. It’s a period marked by a lot of adjustments and pressure. A lot of people are dealing with home problems. If you’re too connected to a school shooting tragedy, you’re obsessing about it, dreaming about, make sure there isn’t something going on in your life that deserves attention. Don’t take it out on yourself. Find good therapists or people you can speak with to cope.

The D.O.: How does all of this further relate specifically to college-age students?

F.O.: It’s right at the core of adolescence. It is a period in which it is natural to set aside your child identity and change into an adult. It’s normal to be abnormal as an adolescent. It’s a passage. The other thing, independent of that, is it’s the period many conditions first emerge … That doesn’t mean to be hopeless. It just means not to feel too badly about your sadness. Everybody who cares about kids in Florida to the point where they are genuinely upset is vulnerable to a mental illness. With college, it’s a time of transformation into adult identity.

The D.O.: What’s the most misunderstood thing about coping with stress following shootings?

F.O.: My concern is some people will be arrogant about their conclusions. They’ve reached a conclusion before the facts. They think they know what caused the killer to be a killer. They think they know how people who are deeply disturbed are feeling. Take the time to think it through, have a conversation. Let’s remind ourselves of what college is all about. A time to learn, rather than respond and give your opinion.

Published on February 28, 2018 at 8:44 pm

Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21