Trauma and PTSD after newtown

This next section is not directed towards those who were directly involved or very close to the terrible tragedy in Newtown, CT. It is directed towards everyone else, who saw, read, heard and surfed - connecting with the events December 14th, 2012.

While PTSD is most often understood by people as a reaction to military combat, PTSD can and does occur in almost any traumatic event in someone's life, whether they have lived it themselves or have witnessed it. Unfortunately, the media has greatly exacerbated the spread of PTSD, providing 24 hour coverage, graphic HD photos of scenes, models of what happened, even photos of guns. And people want to not just know what happened, but they need to know what happened and is happening, to connect to the situation in their own way, whether to empathize, to share in grieving, or to process the situation themselves.

Although it is absolutely against my usual discourse to point out media companies or journalists, I will just mention that one of the best people out there so far who has been covered the events in Newtown is CNN's Don Lemon. I thought that Don's extra level of compassion and sensitivity towards the coverage, combined with a hard stance on a gun control discussion, have been exemplary. But even with the best of coverage, I want to recommend to people adults and children alike, that they consider turning away from the media for chunks of time.