For witnesses, whether seeing the event in person or on a screen, these memories can be difficult to shake, potentially developing into grief and trauma.<\/p>\n
Jonathan Alpert, a New York psychotherapist and author of the upcoming book “Therapy Nation,” reflected on the common mental health effects<\/a> of witnessing a traumatic event, such as a murder, in an interview with Fox News Digital.\u00a0<\/p>\n HOW TO COPE WITH \u2018COLLECTIVE GRIEF\u2019 WHEN MASS TRAGEDY STRIKES<\/a><\/p>\n These effects may include shock, fear, hypervigilance, difficulty sleeping<\/a> and a mental replaying of the images.<\/p>\n “These are normal short-term responses to something that feels overwhelming,” Alpert said.<\/p>\n Within the first hours and days following the event, reactions can also include numbness or disbelief, as if the event is “unreal.”<\/p>\n “Trauma isolates and connection helps.”<\/p>\n While some people\u2019s emotions stabilize and symptoms fade over time, others may experience intrusive thoughts, nightmares or emotional detachment in the following weeks, according to the expert.<\/p>\n LAWMAKERS CALL TO REMOVE CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION VIDEOS<\/a><\/p>\n This may signal that the trauma is becoming “more entrenched,” he said.<\/p>\n For certain groups, such as college students<\/a> still developing their sense of “identity and safety,” an event such as Kirk\u2019s death may leave them feeling “especially vulnerable.”<\/p>\n Charlie Kirk speaks before he is shot during Turning Point USA’s visit to Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Tess Crowley\/The Deseret News via AP)<\/p>\n “They may associate with the event more strongly because it was on a college campus,” he said. “Older adults may have more coping skills, but can also be triggered if the event stirs up earlier life traumas or deep anxieties<\/a> about the state of society.”<\/p>\n The psychotherapist urged the public to keep an eye out for red flags that may signal the need for professional help, including someone’s inability to function at work, school or home.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n “Persistent insomnia, panic attacks, irritability that strains relationships or withdrawal from daily life are signs that the stress response<\/a> has gone beyond the normal range,” Alpert cautioned.<\/p>\n Some coping mechanisms include grounding techniques like deep breathing, writing down thoughts and feelings, and talking with trusted people.<\/p>\n The expert encourages limiting screen time and avoiding repeated images of the event. (iStock)<\/p>\n “Even small routines, such as starting the day with a brief mindfulness exercise, can buffer against anxiety,” Alpert said.<\/p>\n Getting adequate sleep, exercising and eating healthy foods can all be beneficial. Physical activity, in particular, is known to release tension from the body and calm the nervous system<\/a>.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n “Setting boundaries around news and social media is also critical,” Alpert said.<\/p>\n Constant exposure to violent imagery on social media has made the public “numb” to events that 20 years ago were deemed “horrific,” he added.<\/p>\n Some coping mechanisms include grounding techniques like deep breathing, writing down thoughts and feelings, and talking with trusted people. (iStock)<\/p>\n “It seems like there’s a school shooting every other week now, and we barely acknowledge it,” he said. “People become desensitized, and what was once considered a really bad crime is probably much easier to absorb now.”<\/p>\n The psychotherapist emphasized that “trauma isolates and connection helps.”<\/p>\n For more Health articles, visit\u00a0foxnews.com\/health<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Charlie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/charlie-kirk-shot-utah_100.jpg\")
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