‘Social support’: Expert offers advice for coping with trauma following shootings, tragic events

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – The deadly shooting at The Somers House Tavern in Kenosha County is just one of many shootings that happened over the weekend across the U.S.

Since the Atlanta-area spa shootings in March, there have been at least 50 mass shootings across the nation.

“It is totally normative for people to feel a high degree of stress and pain when they are either directly or indirectly exposed to events like this,” UW-Milwaukee Professor of Social Work Joshua Mersky said.

Mersky explained these tragedies not only create trauma for many people, but can also erode sense of community, sense of safety and faith in institutions.

However, Mersky also said there is research that shows most people exposed to this kind of trauma are able to overcome the impacts overtime, but anyone suffering is encouraged to seek out support.

“Social support is about the best remedy that one can think of for overcoming these kinds of events,” he said. “Sometimes that support can be professional in nature, so of course some people may benefit from seeking counseling.”