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SALT LAKE CITY — Just by hearing or watching devastating stories like the murderous rampage at Bastille Day in Nice France, experts say people can suffer from secondary PTSD.
It can be debilitating and make people afraid to attend fun, public events like Utah's upcoming Days of '47 Pioneer Day Parade. But there's help.
"I couldn't believe it. It seems so odd, so surreal, that anyone would want to do that," said Meredith Sorenson, mother of four who lives in Sandy. "As a family, we love to travel and we have goals to help our children see the world. I'm suddenly feeling like our world's about to get a lot smaller because I'm not as confident about where we can go and still be safe."
It's everywhere you look: the devastation in Nice, France, and last month, terror at a gay nightclub in Orlando and many other places. It fills our social media feeds and blasts from our television sets.
"Initially, it's shocking," said Kristin Hodson, a licensed clinical social worker at The Healing Group. "We don't have context for that. In our manual of life, we weren't given when you go to a big celebratory, positive event — this is what's going to happen."
Counselors say it's important to manage anxiety and focus on the good. Remind children they are safe, and how many times they've been to events without incident.
"Let's all sit down and write down all of the worries for 15 minutes," Hodson said. "Let's write them out on paper and then we're gonna be done and then tomorrow morning you can worry again. What can happen is it can snowball and they can be worrying all day long."
She suggests to limit exposure, not to focus on what cannot be controlled, validate children's emotions, focus on family rituals, and refocus thoughts.
"For every big attack we're seeing, there are wonderful celebrations and things happening where people are safe, where they're developing memories, where they're connecting with family. That's all happening and we have to remember that," Hodson said.
The Sorenson family is moving forward with courage.
"We're mindful, but we're not afraid, and I hope we can keep it that way for a long time," Sorenson said.
The symptoms of secondary PTSD include difficulty sleeping and changes in eating habits, Hodson said.
Police officials said they want everyone to attend Pioneer Day celebrations, such as the Days of '47 Parade on July 25th. They said they will have every officer on duty and a heightened alert. They ask you to be their eyes and ears and tell them if you see anything suspicious.
Heather Simonsen is an Emmy-winning health reporter for KSL 5 TV. She's been featured in O Magazine, the New York Times, Salt Lake Magazine, Utah Style & Design and local newspapers. She was a spokesperson for the Olympics and is the mother of three.
