The explosions at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon have brought back memories of other frightening events of recent years, and the feelings of vulnerability and sadness that follow such tragedies.
The National Institute of Mental Health conducts and supports research not only on a wide range of mental health disorders, but also on individual reactions to national crises and traumatic events. The bombings in Boston come on the heels of the shootings at Newtown, CT, and before that, shootings in Tucson, AZ, and Aurora, CO. Communities continue to recover from natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy in the northeast and severe storms in other areas of the country. Other traumatic losses, manmade and natural, here and overseas, have tested the resilience of those who experienced them.
There are many different responses to crisis. Most survivors have intense feelings after a traumatic event but quickly recover; others have more difficulty — especially those who have had previous traumatic experiences, who are faced with ongoing stress, or who lack support from friends and family — and will need additional help. This website has information and resources on trauma, coping and resilience.
The following are resources that may offer information and assistance for people coping with traumatic events, either directly, or indirectly, by way of intensive news media coverage.
In these National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) videos, Drs. Robert Heinssen and Farris Tuma discuss NIMH research in the areas of traumatic stress reactions, specifically mental health issues among U.S. service members. What we learn from the military experience can help us understand stress risk predictions for the entire population.
NIMH Publications
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Research Fact Sheet
- Depression
- Panic Disorder
- Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Parents Can Do
- Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Community Members Can Do
- Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Rescue Workers Can Do
- Mental Health and Mass Violence: Evidence-Based Early Psychological Intervention for Victims/Survivors of Mass Violence (PDF file, 123 pages)
Resources
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)External Link: Please review our disclaimer. Resource Page
- Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for Post-traumatic Stress DisorderExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
- NLM's MedlinePlus
- Resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Coping with StressExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
- Mass Casualty Event Preparedness and ResponseExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
- Coping With a Traumatic Event: Information for the Health ProfessionalsExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
- Coping With a Traumatic Event: Information for the PublicExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
Science News about Coping with Traumatic Events
Children Carry Emotional Burden of AIDS Epidemic in China 
History of Childhood Maltreatment Linked to Higher Rates of Unemployment, Poverty
PTSD Treatment Efforts for Returning War Veterans to be EvaluatedPosts from the Director’s Blog about Coping with Traumatic Events
-
Understanding Severe Mental Illness
January 11, 2011 -
Tragedy at Fort Hood
November 06, 2009
Featured Publications about Coping with Traumatic Events
-
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Rescue Workers Can Do
A booklet that describes what rescue workers can do to help children and adolescents cope with violence and disasters. En Español -
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Parents Can Do
A booklet that describes what parents can do to help children and adolescents cope with violence and disasters. En Español -
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
A booklet on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that explains what it is, treatment options, and how to get help.
