Timberline Knolls Responds To Northern Illinois University Tragedy

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 18 Feb 2008 - 15:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The Northern Illinois University shootings yesterday will affect students, parents and educators across the country. In the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy last year, and in addition to this most recent instance of university campus violence, the issue of school safety will be top of mind for all Americans. One aspect of a school's responsibility with regards to safety is adequate assessment of student mental health and access to good care for those who need it. This is particularly important in the aftermath of a traumatic event on campus.

Many students, parents and educators alike may begin to feel anxiety and fear. Getting support in tolerating and expressing these feelings goes a long way in determining our long-term mental health. It's important to understand that tragedies -- like the one yesterday in DeKalb -- affect different people in different ways. Recognizing how a traumatic event may impact you is a prerequisite to getting the support you and your community need to recover. Whether you are a student at Northern Illinois University, or any university across the country, it is normal to feel anxious about your own safety, or feel that your own health and safety may be in danger after an extreme tragedy in your community. People who have experienced trauma earlier in their lives may have a re-emergence of old feelings of fear, anxiety, emotional numbing and isolation. People with a predisposition to depression may experience depressive symptoms and hopelessness. People with histories of eating disorders or substance addictions may find themselves considering relapse. Heightened awareness of the impact of traumatic events on individuals and communities can help people grieve their losses and cope with intense feelings in healthy ways.

Dr. Kimberly Dennis offers these suggestions to help cope with such a tragic event:

- Try to keep your normal routine.
- Avoid isolation.
- Avoid using alcohol and drugs, which can numb your feelings, hampering the trauma recovery process.
- Moderate use of television as it can be overwhelming to view continuous news coverage about the event.
- Encourage and empower young people to take action on their own safety and to share their concerns about school safety with university officials.
- Seek help when necessary. If you continue to feel feelings of fear, anxiety or depression, or have ongoing substance use or eating irregularities, contact a mental health professional at your school or at your community health center.
- For those in recovery from previous trauma, depression, addiction or eating disorders, be aware of the risk of relapse and get extra support during this time -- from 12-step support groups, therapy, friends and family, etc.

Located in Lemont, IL, Timberline Knolls is an innovative residential treatment center designed exclusively for women with emotional disorders. Timberline Knolls offers specialty care to women (age 12 and older) and their families, seeking treatment for a variety of emotional problems that can include self-injury behavior (SIB), substance abuse, eating disorders and other disorders.

Timberline Knolls