First responders, loved ones of mass shooting survivors can experience secondary trauma. Here are strategies to cope with it.

It’s been four years since the Virginia Beach mass shooting. For some of the survivors, simply driving near the Virginia Beach Municipal Center can be a traumatic experience.

“Driving down Dam Neck Road and Princess Anne Road can automatically bring heavy anxiety, nervousness, tingling in the body,” said Mark Hayes, the team lead at the Virginia Beach Strong Center.

“The body keeps score.”

The center — a partnership between the city of Virginia Beach and Sentara Healthcare — works with survivors and others affected by the 2019 shooting, when a disgruntled city employee killed 12 people. Hayes said he has patients who still sometimes experience panic attacks as they head to work.

Since then, there have been numerous other mass shootings across the country. A school in Uvalde. A Chesapeake Wal-Mart. A mall in Allen, Texas.

With the frequency of these tragedies increasing, it can feel like there is no time to process one before the next occurs.

For those directly impacted, life may never be the same. But those who see or hear first-hand accounts of what happened can also experience what is called secondary trauma.

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“Individuals experience secondary trauma indirectly through hearing details or witnessing the aftermath of a trauma experienced by another person,” said Danyell Collins-Facteau, a licensed professional counselor with Thriveworks in Virginia Beach. “Mass shootings clearly are one source of secondary trauma that has significantly impacted our nation and the Hampton Roads community. This is occurring during a time when many, particularly children and teens, are experiencing a mental health crisis that is really unparalleled.”

First responders, medical professionals and loved-ones of people involved are particularly susceptible to secondary trauma. But so is the general public, especially in a time when news reports and other accounts of a tragedy circulate so fast and so completely on social media.

Hayes and Collins-Facteau spoke about how people can recognize if they or a loved one is struggling with secondary trauma, and offered some coping strategies.

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Recognizing symptoms

One of the biggest signs that someone is struggling is a change in behavior patterns.

Frequent crying, problems with concentration, irritability, trouble sleeping and increased isolation can all be signs that someone is experiencing secondary trauma, Hayes said.

In children and adolescents, signs can include bed-wetting, nightmares or a refusal to go to school.

“Parents and caregivers can monitor their children for signs of anxiety, fear and worry that are outside the norm of what they usually experience,” said Collins-Facteau.

Other signs of secondary trauma can include hypervigilance, as well as intense feelings of guilt, sadness, anger or fear.

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Releasing buildup

Our bodies absorb trauma.

“Our body remembers things that we’ve experienced, whether they’re positive or negative,” Collins-Facteau said.

As people witness one tragedy after another, some try to cope by pushing down their feelings.

“We’re pushing it down, pushing it down, pushing it down, but there’s only so much that can fill up in there,” Collins-Facteau said.

So one of the ways to cope, she said, is by releasing the buildup.

“The expression of thought and emotion, by journaling, drawing, talking it out and/or physical movement are powerful tools that help the body digest the stress,” she said.

Hayes said when it comes to children, parents should start the conversation. Children likely will hear about major incidents from friends or through social media, he said.

“You don’t want to leave the child to their own imagination,” Hayes said.

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Creating resilience

Some people seek isolation in the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event, Hayes said.

“Isolation can be helpful at times, but try not to stay in your isolation,” he said. “There are other people who may not have walked in your shoes, but have experienced the feelings that you have experienced, that have been in situations that could help you along your journey.”

Forming connections with others is a way to build resilience, experts say.

“Resilience is defined as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress,” Collins-Facteau said.

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Other resilience-building activities include focusing on personal wellness through exercise, proper nutrition and hydration, and good sleep habits. Seeking support from faith-based or civic organizations that are aligned with your beliefs can also help.

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Seeking help

Finally, if someone has experienced trauma symptoms for more than a month and those symptoms are impacting their quality of life, they should seek out professional help.

Collins-Facteau said sometimes they don’t think they’re sick enough to seek out help, or that they should “grin and bear it” or “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.”

But she reminds people that asking for help is a sign of strength, and that mental health is as important to address as physical health.

“What we know about trauma is that the longer that symptoms go on without treatment, the more impacted the person will be in the long run,” she said.

Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com