Anxiety and Fear - The Mental Health After-Effects of a National Tragedy

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The Mental Health After-Effects of a National Tragedy

continued

What if you have realistic fears?

For most people suffering from anxiety disorders, the underlying precipitating cause is unclear or unknown (except perhaps for PTSD where the stressor is clear and overwhelming). Despite being unaware of the cause, the person with an anxiety disorder continues to suffer from the fear and worry, although they realize it is overdone.

With a tragedy like to one at Virginia Tech, however, a person with a pre-existing anxiety disorder now has an obvious “reason” to be anxious---after all, what happened at the university could happen anywhere, and to anyone---even to them. Although possible, a similar event is unlikely. Even though school shootings are covered “wall-to-wall” by the media they are, thankfully, unusual and, in fact, rare events. After all, that’s what makes them newsworthy.

Although it is understandable to experience worry and concern over such horrific tragedies, if the anxiety resulting from such concern is overwhelming, impairing or prolonged, it may indicate a need for the sufferer to get help.

So, how do you know if you have prolonged anxiety that is problematic?

If you begin to experience ongoing symptoms such as:

Fearfulness that is uncontrollable and incapacitating
Trouble with sleep impairing daytime functioning
Withdrawal from usual activities
Failure to take care of ones daily needs (like eating, resting,etc)
Onset of depression
Difficulty concentrating or functioning day to day
Marked worsening of underlying emotional disorder
Turning to non-prescribed chemicals or alcohol to control worry

Although these symptoms may not represent a true disorder, they can be the warning signs that alert you to the need for more help; especially if they are prolonged in duration.

Self-help techniques for coping with anxiety include:

Take a break from the news
Re-establish a regular day-to-day routine
Re-connect with a support system such as family or friends and talk to them about your thoughts, feelings and behavior
Pamper yourself with activities you enjoy
Engage in relaxation techniques (massage, meditation, yoga, exercise, positive self-talk and relaxation techniques)
Avoid self-medication (alcohol, drugs)
Begin to question your own irrational thoughts and feelings 8. Get good information from places like HealthyPlace.com

If these self-help activities do not significantly relieve your anxiety, a visit with a mental health professional might be in order.

Detailed information on Anxiety Disorders can be found here.

By Harry Croft, MD
Medical Director of HealthyPlace.com

Last updated 04/07

The Mental Health After-Effects of a National Tragedy

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