Three suicides this past week of people who've survived mass shootings. It's bringing national attention to the impact of the ways trauma effects survivors. A phenomenal called "survivor's guilt: is at the center.
Survivor's guilt is the guilt that you feel about surviving a traumatic situation when others didn't. You question why you survived. You might wonder how you could have helped others from dying. It's a common and normal response to trauma. Survivor's guilt can be misunderstood because on the surface, it seems that the survivors should feel lucky to be alive or to have survived.
You can help those who have survived a trauma experience by being aware of the different ways trauma impacts people. There isn't a certain amount of time that passes before heal. Some survivors have intrusive thoughts, flashbacks and difficulty processing and understanding what happened. Even if you don't understand what they're going through, be a support. This means to listen. Encourage them to talk to a mental health professional. Find support groups with other survivors of traumatic situations.
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