How School Shootings Impact Teen Mental Health
Gun violence in schools impacts adolescents in profound and multifaceted ways, affecting their mental health and long-term well-being. School shootings leave behind not only loss of life and injuries, but also deep psychological scars that can affect students for years to come. Here are some of the lasting effects of school shootings on teens.
Psychological Effects
There are immediate and long-term mental health consequences of gun violence for teens:
- Trauma and PTSD. Adolescents who have experienced school shootings often suffer from PTSD and other trauma-related issues. Studies have shown that these experiences can lead to symptoms like nightmares and ongoing safety fears, even in what should be secure environments.
- Depression and anxiety. Beyond PTSD, adolescents exposed to gun violence report higher rates of depression and anxiety. This heightened state of alert and fear can pervade all aspects of life, making it challenging to focus on daily activities at school and elsewhere.
Academic Impact
School shootings disrupt learning in profound ways:
- Interruptions in attendance. After a traumatic event like a school shooting, it’s common for students to miss school due to fear, a need to recover emotionally, or participating in ongoing counseling or therapy sessions.
- Decline in performance. The chaos and stress following a shooting can lead to a significant decline in academic performance. Students may find it difficult to concentrate on studies or even attend school, fearing for their safety.
Long-Term Social and Economic Consequences
Gun violence at school can hinder students’ personal success for the rest of their lives if they experience:
- Social withdrawal. Affected adolescents might withdraw from social interactions, which can impede their social development and the forming or maintaining of support networks that are crucial during teenage years.
- Low educational and socioeconomic attainment. The trauma from a school shooting doesn’t just disappear after it’s over, or even after graduation. It can lead to poor grades or dropouts, which in turn affects college eligibility, career opportunities, and earning potential later in life.
Recovering From Gun Violence at School
In order to process the shared trauma of gun violence at school, teens need support from family, schools, and mental health professionals. Schools may implement special programs to help students cope and to restore a sense of normalcy and security. Teens and their families can also turn to community resources, including reputable online forums like those offered by mental health nonprofits.
Support Teens Impacted by School Violence With ReGroup Foundation
ReGroup Foundation is a nonprofit that helps preteens and teens as well as their families anonymously share and benefit from mental health success stories. Too often, the best resources and practices in teen mental health care remain under the radar.
We want all families to benefit from the triumphs of those who have “been there, done that” where school gun violence and other mental health-related issues are concerned. We make this possible by collecting family reviews of local mental health caregivers and facilities as well as personal strategies to help teens recover from wellness challenges. In only 15 minutes, you can begin making a world of difference in the lives of other teens and their families — just by anonymously sharing your successes. Register today, and start sharing your reviews and mental health insights.