Three Characteristics of Trauma and How to Respond to Them

In my most recent article, I shared how a gunman opened fire in my wife's place of employment. (If you haven't already done so, I would recommend taking a few minutes to read that post as this article serves as its sequel.) In summary, I proposed that a horrific, social tragedy creates trauma that spreads out across the community, lingers for some time, and combines with other stressful experiences in a negative, compounding way. These three characteristics, which I label Encompassing, Enduring, and Ratcheting, are commonly overlooked aspects of traumatic incidents. I also suggested that traumatic incidents, such as a mass shooting, can be viewed in the same way as a radiation exposure event (R.E.E.).

Radiation impacts its victims based on several factors. Proximity to the source, length of exposure, and sensitivity of the individual are all variables that influence radiation's effect. When it comes to protecting oneself from radiation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages people to minimize their time around radiation as well as increasing their distance from it. They also suggest using shielding.

"To shield yourself from a radiation source, you need to put something between you and the radiation source."

I had been contemplating the idea that trauma is analogous to radiation exposure, but I couldn't quite determine how the concept of shielding fit into my model. I wondered if perhaps there was some kind of "shield" that could be set up to reduce the deleterious effects of trauma, but I was having a difficult time identifying what it might be. Fortunately, I'm married to a superhero; so, it didn't take long for my wife to show me what shielding can look like.

Kathryn was not working the day the gunman entered her store. She was at home completing an assignment for a course in her clinical mental health counseling program. While she was studying, she received a text from her company informing her that there was an emergency in progress at the store. When she searched Google for more information she learned of the gravity of the situation.

Kathryn immediately contacted me and let me know about the unfolding tragedy. She also prayed for those who might be caught up in the violence. After waiting for the authorities to provide updates and direction, she texted her friends to see if they were safe. A couple of her friends confirmed that they were at the store during the shooting and that they either saw or heard the gunman before they escaped to safety. Kathryn was thankful that her coworkers were not physically injured and she told them so.

As soon as her workplace reopened a couple days later, Kathryn intentionally stopped by her store in order to check in on her coworkers, offer them encouragement, and give them hugs of support. She had decided to do this fairly soon after she had heard about the shooting. However, she didn't mention this plan to me.

When she later told me what she did, I immediately thought about the shielding concept. As I mentioned above, the CDC states, "To shield yourself from a radiation source, you need to put something between you and the radiation source." Kathryn showed me that the best thing to put between an individual and their trauma is another person.

Now don't get me wrong here. I don't mean that we should take the other person's trauma onto ourselves or force them to retell and relive their trauma for our own consumption. Just as someone experiencing radiation burns should be treated by a medical professional, it's wise for individuals suffering from serious traumatic disruption be served by a qualified therapist or psychiatrist. But that said, there are some practical things that all of us can do to help each other and to lessen the effects of the Encompassing, Enduring, and Ratcheting factors.

In terms of limiting the effects of Encompassing, it's important to recognize that many people are impacted in these kinds of events. In our case, the shoppers and employees who were directly threatened by the shooter were traumatized. But so too were many of the shoppers and retail employees who only heard about the incident later. So too were the first responders that arrived at the store not knowing exactly what they were getting into. And so too were the family members of all of these groups.

Harm is expansive in traumatic situations, kind of like a disruption in a pool of water rippling outward in all directions. Being cognizant of this reality should make us more aware of the importance of providing comforting words to a variety of individuals. Just as Kathryn did in this situation, we need to proactively check in with one another. If you know someone who lives or works in a region that has experienced a significantly distressing event, reach out to them. And if you are unable to connect in-person, use other contact methods. Make a call. Send a text. Jot an email. Write a letter. Some mediums of connection work better than others, but engage any way you can.

We should be sensitive to those who may be struggling. Tell them that you heard about the incident, and ask them how they are processing it. Be careful not to hijack the conversation by presenting your political feelings on the topic. For example, don't complain about what politicians should or should not be doing in response to the situation. This turns the issue into a gripe session, or worse, a debate, and neither one of these will help your friend move forward toward healing.

In terms of limiting the effects of Enduring, it's important that we acknowledge that trauma takes time to dissipate. One key reason for this is that fear is a powerful and persistent agitator of psychological distress. To decrease fear's influence over us requires that we act courageously. As we demonstrate courage ourselves, it can inspire others to be brave as well.

Kathryn showed courage in the Omaha shooting incident by returning to the scene of the crime as soon as people were allowed to do so. She and the handful of other initial returnees served as an unofficial advance team. They demonstrated that the space was safe once again. As more hesitant members of the community noticed that these returnees were okay, they gained the confidence to reenter the store at a quicker pace than they would have on their own.

To put it simply, Kathryn chose to be courageous. By doing so she not only cultivated more courage for herself, she also incubated it in others. Recognizing the enduring nature of trauma, she also continues to return to the store on a regular basis. One can't reduce the negative effects of the enduring principle in one response. We have to repeatedly push back against it on a continual basis.

For those of you who live near the site of an R.E.E., and unfortunately they are popping up all too frequently across the country, consider visiting the place of the incident once its space is reopened to the public. If you are a religious person, you can walk through the area praying for the victims and the space itself. For those not inclined toward prayer, just spending time at the location offering others an encouraging smile can go a long way in dispersing and reducing the lingering effects of the episode. By doing these things we are decontaminating the space.

Finally, in terms of limiting the effects of Ratcheting, it's important that we remember that trauma is cumulative. It typically stacks up, one event upon the other. The good news, however, is that humans can reduce trauma's toxic saturation level by countering it with its opposites, love and ministration. Just as we can cultivate courage, we can also foster healing in others. Kathryn knew that her coworkers were shaken by the shooting. In response she didn't merely text them standard emojis, she showed up, provided specific encouragements & praise, and offered reassuring hugs. These positive actions work to lower the level of trauma that builds up within a person or a place.

Consider the action of a ratchet wrench. It either tightens things down or loosens things up. In our scenario we want to relieve the tension that the trauma has created. To do this we need to turn in the other direction, switch towards the positive. This requires us to look for and highlight the parts of a traumatic incident that represent goodness and virtue. When we view the Omaha shooting in only negative ways it ratchets down the tragedy and increases fear. On the other hand, when we acknowledge and even celebrate the good that shined through the darkness, we build up hope and strength.

In our incident, we know that law enforcement officers raced to a chaotic and dangerous scene after receiving reports of an active shooter with a semi-automatic rifle. Media reports indicate that Omaha Police Officer Brian Vanderheiden and an unnamed Nebraska state trooper made first contact with the gunman inside the store. Together these officers attempted to de-escalate this dangerous situation. After threatening to kill the officers, and refusing to drop his rifle when ordered to do so, Officer Vanderheiden fired a single shot that ultimately killed the gunman and ended the threat.

Officer Vanderheiden and the state trooper have been applauded as heroes for their brave actions in this incident. What's worth noting is that this is not the first time Officer Vanderheiden has been credited with saving a life. He was awarded the Life Saving Award Medal in 2015. A Google search also reveals that this is not the first time Officer Vanderheiden has overcome a difficult situation. In 2017, he was seriously injured when a distracted driver crashed into his patrol car. It took him months of physical therapy to return to service. (See story below.)

Though located before it, these are actually relevant features of this traumatic event. For every mentally ill person that shoots up a public setting, there are many more resilient, selfless individuals who make courageous choices to help and protect others. Such positives should not be overlooked in any incident. Officer Vanderheiden's actions that day and his personal backstory serve as counterpoints to the negative ratcheting effects of trauma. When we raise up examples of service and sacrifice in traumatic situations we broadcast hope not despair. We accumulate positives in contrast to negatives.

Another aspect of the story that was not really covered by the media was the show of support provided by the community right after the shooting. In order to provide comfort and compassion, individuals and businesses from across the city donated treats, de-stress products, and care packages to the employees at the store. While this did not get much fanfare, it was greatly appreciated by Kathryn's coworkers. It also reveals that a community can rally together after a tragedy in a way that it might not have ever done before. Crisis gives us a new opportunity for cooperation. We need to remember that something beautiful can emerge from something very ugly.

In a perfect world human beings would not be exposed to trauma. But as the media so readily points out, it is all around us. And eventually it will come to visit each of us where we are. This article suggests that traumatic episodes often harm many people, dissipate slowly, and compound one on top of the other. But the key take away is that while we can't always avoid exposure, humans can serve as a shield for one another.

On a final note, I would be remiss if I did not point out one additional similarity between radiation and trauma. Just as ionizing radiation is used to create x-ray images of the body, and thereby reveals things that are hidden, a significantly distressing event can also help reveal one's life purpose. Whenever you experience suffering and trauma, pay attention to what that hardship might be teaching you. You might just find that one's calling is most likely to be revealed in calamity.

(Credits:?Ambulance photo by Mat Napo on Unsplash; screen capture on shielding from radiation from the Centers for Disease Control; expanding water ripple photo by Jackson Hendry on Unsplash; hourglass in stones photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash; rachet wrench image from Harbor Freight)