Virginia Tech Shootings & Depression -- Is It Inevitable?

While I certainly had all intentions of writing in my gratitude journal today, I was kind of feeling a little blue about the weather. It was a rainy day today where I live and I wasn't looking forward to getting myself and my 3 children up for a rainy trip to school. We rather sleep.

Then I saw what happened to those young men and women at Virginia Tech and realized that whatever blues I was feeling, was nothing compared to the devastation of what took place on that campus. After the initial shock and disbelief of it all -- I went into "shrink mode" and thought about the survivors in those classrooms and the families of the deceased -- and the huge aftershock of anxiety and depression that these survivors may have to face.

Because while the tragedy is shocking and horrible enough, what something like this can do to those who survive and even to those of us who are watching it all unfold -- is also monumentally destructive.

SURVIVORS
Look for many of the survivors of the Virginia Tech shootings to feel angry, frightened, shocked. Many may begin to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder where they will replay the incidents of the tragedy and the feelings of fear and helplessness that the shootings brought that day. As weeks and months go by, watch for many of the survivors to feel survivor guilt and wonder why they lived and their friend(s) did not. And finally watch for many to begin to feel that finding life interesting or happy is quite difficult -- This is a sure sign of an impending case of depression.

If you know or are related to a survivor of a tragic and traumatic event like this, it is KEY to stay connected to them. Find someone that they can talk to about their feelings. A pastor, counselor, parent, etc. Give them a journal. Let them blog about their experience. Anything to keep them talking about their feelings.

FAMILIES
Family members of the victims are highly susceptible to falling into a depression after an event like this because of the mixture of anger, rage, and grief that they are going through.

Some people will use that rage and funnel it into things such as getting involved in passing new gun law legislation or trying to improve campus security or creating a foundation or some sort of positive venture in name of their loved one(s). Others will not know how to channel their rage and grief, and so they turn it inward towards themselves...resulting in depression.

Family members need to feel the full supportive arms of everyone in their immediate family and community. They need empathy. They need support. And they need to stay connected to everyone who loves them. The road is very long for the family members that are left behind, and working with a grief counselor would be very beneficial after something like this.

SPECTATORS
We are the watchers. The people who have no direct connection to the victims or their families but are connected to the story on a human level. And sometimes we get so caught up in the coverage of a tragedy like this -- we can become consumed with the horribleness of it all. And we become sad. Disillusioned. Fearful. Frustrated.

We can begin to look at this as a sign of things to come. And they aren't looking too good. So we can become overwhelmed and then find ourselves depressed as well.

The solution for spectators is to first decide at what point that we have all the information we need and stop watching the repetitive coverage of the tragedy. Secondly, if we want to take action and do something as part of a collaborative effort to help the victims and their families or the school -- do that. Doing something is much better then sitting around feeling overwhelmed by a series of events that you had no control over to begin with.

Last Thoughts...
As the television coverage of this tragedy dies down, and the school reopens for classes, there will be many who will still be dealing with the after-effects of this tragedy for months and years to come. Unfortunately, one of those things will for sure be dealing with clinical depression.

But we have the advantage! We know it's coming for some, and so we're on the look out. The look out to save many of the people who were left behind. As many as we can.

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Lisa Angelettie, "GirlShrink" is an online advice authority. Her site GirlShrink.com is the #1 "Advice & Counseling" site on the web and contributing author of "101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life". Instantly get a FREE Bonus when you sign up for her free Better Choices Ezine. Please visit us for more discussion on this topic in the depression forum to talk about it further. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for topics in the news, new articles, website & book reviews, and other useful mental health resources. Subscribe below.