After every school shooting, a painful and familiar cycle repeats itself. Just last month, it was Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The month before, Irondequoit, New York. In the aftermath, students and staff go back to school and try to reestablish some semblance of normalcy — attending classes, focusing on their studies, and hanging out with their friends. But beneath the surface, the reality is that life will never be “normal” again. Grief, survivor's guilt, PTSD, anxiety and depression will follow them from their classrooms to their homes and everywhere in between.
Gun violence significantly affects the mental health of survivors, while also affecting the nation as a whole. We grieve with the devastated neighbors and people of our community whenever we learn of another gun-related tragedy, but too often, we fail to acknowledge the trauma that comes with it.
