In the aftermath of a traumatic event, what can be most helpful is the support of loved ones and other trusted people, and there are simple things that you can do to help someone recover. Here are Dr Nihara Krause’s tips on how to help and support a young person after a violent incident.
How can a young person be impacted by a violent incident?
Young people can be impacted through:
- directly seeing or having a friend / loved one injured or die in an attack.
- exposure to upsetting images, videos, or opinions in their social media feed or on TV.
- overhearing other people talking about the victims of the attack.
- witnessing a parent or carer’s reactions to an attack.
How can you support young people after a violent incident?
What you can do:
- Remind them that social media feeds are not fact-checked (unlike the news) and may contain misinformation.
- Be aware of your own reactions and how young people might interpret them.
- Reassure them that they are safe and that attacks like this are rare, and remind them of what is in place to protect them.
- Be available to discuss the event with them and allow them to ask questions in their own time.
What you can suggest:
These are some things you can encourage the young person to do:
1. Spend time with loved ones or people they trust.
2. Talk to them about how they are feeling, if they would like to.
3. Limit time they spend online / following the news if it’s making them feel worse.
4. Remind them that there is no ‘right’ way to feel after a violent attack. Suggest that they try to accept the emotions that they are feeling e.g., to allow themselves to cry if it helps them.
5. Ask if they would find it helpful to ask for emotional and/or practical support from loved ones or the local community / religious centres.
6. Stick to their usual routine if that is helpful. Some people find routines comforting when they feel overwhelmed. stem4’s free Move Mood app helps you keep a routine and improve your mood by encouraging you to increase your motivation to carry out a variety of tasks in order to help you to move forward, take control, and feel positive.
7. Look after themselves and try to exercise and eat well.
8. Spend time doing things that feel good or that they enjoy.
9. Try and be kind to themselves.
10. Manage and reduce symptoms of anxiety with stem4’s free Clear Fear app. The Clear Fear app helps you learn to reduce the physical responses to threat as well as changing thoughts and behaviours and releasing emotions.
In the early stages after a violent attack, psychological professional support is not usually needed as many people recover from these events naturally with time. But if they are struggling after 4 weeks, and it is affecting how they live their life, that may be a sign to seek further support.
