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

Protecting Personal & Family Safety:
Responding to Threatening Situations

Though we may feel safe mostof the time, threats inevitably occur.
Knowing what to do when we feel
Experiencing a threat is frightening
threatened can help us respond more
and undermines our sense of safety.
Feeling threatened can cause us toeffectively to make safer and healthierisolate ourselves and take actions thatchoices for ourselves and our families.
may not be helpful. Knowing what to
do when we feel threatened can help
us respond more effectively to makesafer and healthier choices for ourselves and our families.
Possible Threats and Normal Reactions
Threats range to include a wide variety of activities fromstalking and bullying to being the target of terrorists. People
can also act in threatening ways by using excessive eye
contact, aggressive facial expressions,positioning themselvesin overly close proximity,or other behaviors that violatesocial norms. Threats can be made verbally, through email
or other electronic communication, letters left at someone’s
home or place of work, or other means. They may involve
imminent danger or simply the possibility of danger.
Personal threats directed at an individual are often morestressful than more general threats that might impact a large
or more random group of people. It is normal to experience
fear when we feel threated. Being threated or feelingthreatened breaches our usual feeling of safety, which
may continue until we feel that normal protections areback in place. Fear associated with a threat can persist but
recovering a sense of safety is important to help function
more effectively.
How to Respond to Threats
When we sense a threat, knowing how to manage ourfeelings and what actions to take can help families feel safer.
Below are some things you can do to help your family feelsafer when you experience a threat:■ Remember that threats are common and most people
around the world experience threats at some pointin their lives. Knowing that others have managed
threatening situations can give us hope.
■ Understand normal reactions to threats, which include:
feeling fear, being easily distracted or preoccupied,having trouble sleeping, experiencing a desire to react by

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running away, fighting back, orsimply feeling frozen or unable
to act.
■ In general it is best to avoid
directly confronting someone
or something that seems
threatening. Confrontation canescalate a situation and can put
you and your family at increasedrisk.
Notify law enforcement if you are threatened. They aretrained to respond and manage threats and can provide
helpful support and information.
If threats occur in school, in addition to lawenforcement, notify your child’s teacher and principal
or other designated individuals. School personnel canhelp address threats that may distract from the learning
environment.
If you are in the military or other structured
organization with a chain of command, in addition
to law enforcement, notify your leadership of threats
to you or your family. Leaders can provide helpful
guidance and support.
Talk with your spouse and/or children about the threat
and how to respond. This helps the family feel moreconnected.
Ensure your family has a means of quickly and easily
communicating during threatening situations.
Consider traveling in pairs or a larger group while there
is an active threat. Being with others helps people feelsafe and supported.
Avoid using alcohol or other drugs to manage stress orworry. If your stress feels too high, call your primarycare provider to discuss safe options for helping you feelcalmer.
Avoid simple reassurance like “everything will be okay”,
making promises you cannot keep, telling people what
they should feel, or forcing people to talk who are notready. These can undermine trust and social connection
and increase peoples’ stress and worry.