Public violence and recent tragedy, including the deaths of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska , have left many shaken by what they have seen.
For witnesses, whether seeing the event in person or on a screen, these memories can be difficult to shake, potentially developing into grief and trauma.
Jonathan Alpert, a New York psychotherapist and author of the upcoming book “Therapy Nation,” reflected on the common mental health effects of witnessing a traumatic event, such as a murder, in an interview with Fox News Digital.
These effects may include shock, fear, hypervigilance, difficulty sleeping and a mental replaying of the images.
“These are normal short-term responses to something that feels overwhelming,” Alpert said.
Within the first hours and days following the event, reactions