Coping With Violence

The recent sniper shootings in the Washington D.C. area have left us shocked and concerned. Not only are we worried about our own safety, but we are also concerned for the safety of our loved ones. It is understandable if you are frightened and angry. This is a natural response to a horrific event. At the end of this email, you will find a list of resources available to you. Below, we provide suggestions on coping with these terrible events and recommendations for providing support to children during this difficult time.

Coping Strategies

For those of us in the Washington, D.C. area, the recent sniper attacks have made us feel more vulnerable. The concern over the attacks brings out a variety of feelings such as anxiety, stress, helplessness, fear, irritability and anger. Such feelings may result in an inability to concentrate, shortened tempers, increased alcohol consumption, nightmares, and may also cause one to lose interest in normal activities. Such reactions are normal. For persons who were previously dealing with an illness, such as chronic pain or a mental health concerns, the recent events may exacerbate their condition.

In order to cope with the present situation, consider talking to friends and family to address your concerns and feelings. Don’t be overly critical of yourself for being worried or frightened. Seek assistance from your doctor or the Employee Assistance Program if your anxiety or other symptoms prevent you from carrying out your normal daily routine.

Helping Children Handle Disaster-Related Anxiety

Children sense the anxiety and tension in adults around them. And, like adults, children experience the same feelings of helplessness and lack of control that disasters can bring about. Unlike adults, however, children have little experience to help them place their current problems into perspective.

Each child responds differently to disasters, depending on his or her understanding and maturity. However, disasters can create a great deal of anxiety in children of all ages because they will interpret the disaster as a personal danger to themselves and those they care about. Therefore, it’s most important that you be open about the consequences for your family. Encourage your child to talk about their reactions and feelings, regardless of their age or relationship to the damage caused by the disaster.

Pre-School Age Children:

Behavior such as bed-wetting, thumb sucking, baby talk, or a fear of sleeping alone may intensify in some younger children, or reappear in children who had previously outgrown them. They may complain of very real stomach cramps or headaches, and be reluctant to go to school. It’s important to remember that these children are not "being bad" - they’re afraid. Here are some suggestions to help them cope with their fears:

• Reassure young children that they’re safe.



• Provide extra comfort and contact by discussing the child’s fears at night, by telephoning during the day and with extra physical comforting.



• Get a better understanding of a child’s feelings about the disaster.



• Discuss the disaster with them and find out each child’s particular fears and concerns. Answer all questions they may ask and provide them loving comfort and care. You can work to structure children’s play so that it remains constructive, serving as an outlet for them to express fear or anger.

Grade-School Age Children:

Children this age may ask many questions about the disaster, and it’s important that you try to answer them in clear and simple language. If a child is concerned about a parent who is distressed, don’t tell a child not to worry-doing so will just make him or her worry more. Here are several important things to remember with school-age children:

• False reassurance does not help this age group. Don’t say disasters will never affect your family again; children will know this isn’t true. Instead, say "You’re safe now and I’ll always try to protect you," or "Adults are working very hard to make things safe." Remind children that disasters are very rare. Children’s fears often get worse around bedtime, so you might want to stick around until the child falls asleep in order to make him or her feel protected.



• Monitor children’s media viewing. Images of the disaster and the damage are extremely frightening to children, so consider limiting the amount of media coverage they see. A good way to do this without calling attention to your own concern is to regularly schedule an activity-story reading, drawing, movies, or letter writing, for example-during news shows.



• Allow them to express themselves through play or drawing. As with younger children, school-age children sometimes find comfort in expressing themselves through playing games or drawing scenes of the disaster. Allowing them to do so, and then talking about it, gives you the chance to "re-tell" the ending of the game or the story they have expressed in pictures with an emphasis on personal safety.



• Don’t be afraid to say "I don’t know." Part of keeping discussion of the disaster open and honest is not being afraid to say you don’t know how to answer a child’s question. When such an occasion arises, explain to your child that disasters are extremely rare, and they cause feelings that even adults have trouble dealing with. Temper this by explaining that, even so, adults will always work very hard to keep children safe and secure.

Adolescents:

Encourage older youth to work out their concerns about the disaster. Adolescents may try to down-play their worries. It is generally a good idea to talk about these issues, keeping the lines of communication open and remaining honest about the financial, physical and emotional impact of the disaster on your family. When adolescents are frightened, they may express their fear through acting out or regressing to younger habits.

• Children with existing emotional problems, such as depression, may require careful supervision and additional support.



• Monitor their media exposure to the event and information they receive on the Internet.



• Adolescents may turn to their friends for support.



• Encourage friends and families to get together and discuss the event to allay fears.

In the event your child’s symptoms continue or have a serious impact on his/her school performance or mental health, seek assistance from your doctor or contact the EAP for a referral to a mental health professional.

Mental Health Resources

Justice Management Division

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has designed a special Web site, Managing Anxiety in Times of Crisis, located at: http://www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cmhs/ChildrenAnxiety, to help families, schools, community organizations, and the general public deal with the traumatic effects of these shootings as we go about our daily tasks, including taking our children to school. From this site parents, caregivers, and children can obtain information about ways to communicate in times of crisis; locate local crisis referrals and national mental health sources; view or download material on effective emergency and disaster responses; and link to related publications and other Web sites. Anyone needing additional information, services, or materials to help understand and talk about the emotional effects of trauma can call SAMHSA's National Mental Health Information Center at 1-800-789-2647; (TDD: 301-443-9006)-service is provided by bilingual staff.

The following hotlines are available to help individuals cope with the attacks.

Montgomery County Crisis Center
240-777-4000

Prince George's County Mental Health Hotlines
301-864-7153; 301-864-7161; 301-864-7130

D.C. Mental Health Hotline
1-888-7WE-HELP (888-793-4357)

Prince William County Crisis Hotline
703-792-4900

CrisisLink (Crisis hotline serving D.C., Virginia and Maryland)
703-527-4077 or 1-800-784-2433

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