On April 10, five people were killed at a bank in Louisville. A gunman entered an Old National Bank and opened fire on the employees inside, livestreaming his spree.
5 days later, 4 people were killed and 32 were injured when a gunman opened fire at a sweet sixteen party in Dadeville, Alabama.
These are two of the most recent mass shootings in the country, which has already amassed over 130 in 2023. That is over one per day, on average. This problem is unique to the United States.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Erika Felix says that the impacts of these shootings on people’s mental health is widespread, whether or not you were directly involved in a mass shooting.
Dr. Felix talks about the impacts that mass shootings have on the psyche.
Dr. Felix says that mass shootings impact people like ripples in a pool of water. The further you are from the point of impact, the less psychological harm you are likely to incur.
But Felix says that this does not mean people who aren’t directly impacted are immune. In fact, she says that there are things people should do regularly to take care of their mental well-being.
73 percent of adults listed mass shootings as a significant stressor in their lives in 2022, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association. Over half of students stated to be worried a mass shooting could occur at their school back in 2018.
“Everybody’s generally bound to end up in that situation with the statistics right now,” said IU student Sydney Burnett, “I definitely have become a little numb to it.”
Other students share similar sentiments. Anna Seikel, a student traveling from Germany, says that the States feel like a different world. She was at a baseball game. Typically, going to a game wouldn’t cause her stress. But having learned the dangers of mass shootings in the country, she felt scared.
“Everybody here could have a gun. And I was so scared… It was so scary thinking about just going to the supermarket or enjoying a baseball game,” Seikel said.
Dr. Felix says for those who are overwhelmed by exposure to news about mass shootings, the best thing to do is to limit media consumption. She also states that it is important for children to have access to an adult who can calmly explain mass shooting situations to them as to not generate second-hand trauma.
For those who are more directly impacted, Dr. Felix says that the paths to recovery are much different. “Reaching out and connecting to other people that are grieving is one of the best things you can do,” Felix said. Getting social support and remembering that you are not alone in your grief is crucial.
Dr. Felix also commented on the psychology of the perpetrators. She says that there are a few similar characteristics that mass shooters hold, including 4 to 5 major life stressors. She says that it is important to have better mental health resources available to identify those who are at risk of committing extreme acts of violence in their communities.
Dr. Felix discusses the psychology of the perpetrators of mass shootings.
Reactions to mass shootings vary from grief, to exhaustion, to compassion fatigue. But the impacts of these events can be mitigated through community support.
“Getting that social support. Going to community events that have people come together and process these kinds of huge events are all helpful,” said Dr. Felix.
