Mass shooting worries have many recalibrating crowded situations
Master fear with facts and control what you can to deal with anxieties about mass shootings, experts say.
Posted — UpdatedSeven people died during Monday's shooting in Highland Park, Ill., making the attack on a Fourth of July parade the third deadliest shooting this year (after Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, and Buffalo, N.Y., on May 14).
So far this year, there has been more than one mass shooting a day. On average, one person dies during these incidents while more than four are injured.
While there have been fewer mass shootings in the first six months of 2022 compared to 2021, the number of mass shootings during that time period is almost double what it was five years ago.
Bob Cooke, a former police officer who teaches classes in what to do in an active shooter situation, said, "It's scary to me. It's got to a point you can't go out in public anymore."
Psychotherapist Dr. Kamala Uzzell said she hears the same.
"I get a lot of calls from clients experiencing acute crisis when they are thinking about going to events," she said. "Many of us are becoming overwhelmed by the frequency and intensity of mass shootings plaguing our country."
Both suggested understanding the risks, being aware of surroundings and knowing what to do in a worst-case scenario.
Cooke teaches his students to visualize what they would do if someone opened fire.
"The body will never go where the mind hasn’t been," he said.
"Have a plan when you walk in ... know where the exits are."
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