By William R. Clough, D.Min.
Training Director
When a mass shooting takes place, people turn to religious and mental health resources for posttraumatic comfort and therapy. It is altogether fitting and proper to do that. Posttraumatic intervention doesn’t take away the painful effects of a traumatic event but it can give you a companion to walk with you through the pain and help people cope better with a horrific experience.
We also start the debate on how to prevent such violence in the future and mental health studies have something to say about prevention as well as postvention but so far, the United States has not come to enough of a consensus to produce effective legislation. But there are some proven prevention policies that can help.
The American Psychological Association notes that, “Firearm prohibitions for high-risk groups — domestic violence offenders, persons convicted of violent misdemeanor crimes, and individuals with mental illness who have been adjudicated as being a threat to themselves or to others — have been shown to reduce violence.” (https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/gun-violence-prevention).
They go on to emphasize that the majority of people with mental illness are not violent. But there is a subset that is in danger of becoming so and early diagnosis and intervention can provide those people with coping skills and options that minimize the probability that they will turn violent.
Sandy Hook Promise has posted 9 Critical Warning Signs of Violence that everyone should be aware of.
- Suddenly withdrawing from friends, family and activities (including online or via social media)
- Bullying, especially if targeted towards differences in race, religion, gender or sexual orientation
- Excessive irritability, lack of patience, or becoming angry quickly
- Experiencing chronic loneliness or social isolation
- Expressing persistent thoughts of harming themselves or someone else
- Making direct threats toward a place, another person, or themselves
- Bragging about access to guns or weapons
- Recruiting accomplices or audiences for an attack
- Directly expressing a threat as a plan
(https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/blog/gun-violence/know-the-signs-of-gun-violence/)
This isn’t a complete list of all warning signs. Exhibiting one of these signs doesn’t necessarily indicate imminent violence although anyone observing or experiencing these signs can benefit from psychotherapy. When concerned about troubling behaviors, seek help. And always, call 911 if there is an immediate threat.