Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
CSTS | Department of Psychiatry | Uniformed Services University | 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799 | www.CSTSonline.org

Preparing, Responding, and Copingwith the Stress of Mass Shootings
Mass shootings and other disaster■ Report suspicious activity
events can be extremely stressful.
to authorities and avoid
It is important to effectively prepare for andMobile devices and the internet
complacency; practice themanage our response to mass shootings
provide instant access to the details ofapproach, “If you see something,so we are able to care for ourselves, ourthese events, but can also overwhelm
say something.”
us. Graphic images and videos,families, and our communities.
■ Learn emergency response
often seen in real time, can be very
procedures at your place ofdistressing. The seemingly random
work; for those with children,
nature of these events as well as the 24/7/365 access tolearn emergency response plans for your child’s school.
information about disasters around the world can leave us■ Develop a family emergency response plan; know wherefeeling unsafe and in persistent danger. Constantly feelingto go and how to contact each other in the event of anunsafe can lead to a variety of behaviors such as trouble
emergency.
sleeping, irritability, difficulty concentrating, increased use■ Create or purchase an Emergency “Go Kit”; havingof alcohol and tobacco, social isolation, and fear of those
things ready in advance of an emergency can feelaround us. In addition to imagery of mass shootings, news
reassuring and reduce distress.
commentary and political rhetoric may enhance distress orcommunity division.
DURING
It is important to effectively prepare for and manage
our response to mass shootings so we are able to care for■ If you are involved in a mass shooting, remember “Run.
ourselves, our families, and our communities. Fortunately,Hide. Fight.”
there are steps we can take to better prepare and respondx Run from the scene of a mass shooting if it is safe toin the rare event that we are involved in a mass shooting.
do so.
Knowing what to do and how to respond can significantly
x If it is not safe to run, hide from the assailant in
reduce distress. Below is important information and steps tolocked spaces when possible. Barricade doors andtake before, during, and after a mass shooting event.
stay out of sight. Silence cell phones. Prepare to run
when possible.
BEFOREx Engage or fight the assailant(s) as a last resort.
■ Remind yourself and loved ones that, although mass
Commit to fighting with all your strength andshootings do occur, most of us will never be directly
intent.
involved in one during our lifetime.
x When police arrive, avoid sudden movements or■ Avoid extremes of thinking, such as insisting that threatssounds. Follow their directions. For the safety of all,are everywhere (“I can’t go anywhere or trust anyone!”),they will not stop to help people, even if injured,or that you are helpless (“The world is so dangerous,
until the assailant(s) is neutralized.
there’s no way I can do anything about it.”).
■ Remind yourself that you are not helpless and there are■ Find trusted media sources from which to obtainsteps you can take to care for your safety and the safety
information.
of those around you.
■ Avoid public areas, events, or gathering places clearly■ Contact friends and loved ones to check in; knowing
identified by credible sources as being high risk or highyou and people you care about are safe can significantly
threat for violence.
lower distress.
Continued

■ Use established sources of credible information toobtain necessary information about where to go andwhat to do.

AFTER■ Difficulty with sleep, irritability, and trouble
concentrating are normal responses following a mass
shooting; talk with your Primary Care Provider ifthese persist or cause problems with relationships orperformance at home or work.
■ Stay connected with other people, such as friends,family, and neighbors, that provide positive and helpfulsupport; social support helps people recover fromstressful situations.
■ If going to public places or traveling causes distress, gowith other people or in groups until distress reduces.
■ Check in with other people that were affected; reachingout to connect with others can be helpful to both ofyou.
■ Avoid increasing alcohol and tobacco to cope withstress; use behavioral techniques to relax (such as
breathing, imagery, and muscle relaxation) that do nothave negative health effects.

■ Be cautious of news or other commentary thatscapegoats large groups of people for the actions ofa single individual; these perspectives often damage
community connections and may increase thelikelihood of future violence.
■ Limit exposure to graphic images and videos on thenews and social media, especially for children.
■ It is important to talk with children and ask questions
to learn their understanding of a mass shooting event.
Consider the following when talking with children:
x Use age-appropriate language, ask questions about
what they may have seen or heard and listen to
their concerns; respond in a non-judgmental andempathic way.
x Pre-school and early school aged children often
wonder if they have caused a bad thing to happen;
if they have become aware of a mass shooting, theyshould be told directly it is not their fault.
x Remind children and adolescents that even thoughsome people hurt other people, there are many
people working to keep them safe such as police,
fire and rescue, and healthcare providers.

Additional ResourcesDepartment of Homeland Security — Active Shooter Preparedness
https://www.cisa.gov/active-shooter-preparedness
National Child Traumatic Stress Network — Catastrophic Violence Resources
https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/terrorism-andviolenceCenter for the Study of Traumatic Stress
http://www.cstsonline.org

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress
Department of Psychiatry
Uniformed Services University
4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814-4799
www.CSTSonline.org