#vassean

If you've been tagged in this it means I owe you a reply. I plan to work on all my drafts tomorrow, whether in the morning or at night I am still unsure. I appreciate the patience and am aware how slow I am being. The drafts are being worked on, though, and I will have them out for all of y'all. Other than that, I hope everyone has a great night and had a nice weekend!

It was a small place. Small enough that had it not been one of the places where most people at the Portland PD got their coffee from, no investigation would've even been considered. But the fact that almost all the officers knew the quality of Fuller's Restaurant & Coffee Shop made the whole thing suspicious at once. The place was far from being a poorly run restaurant with a dirty kitchen so there was really no real reason why the day before there had been an outbreak of what seemed like food poisoning.

What was even stranger was that there was no common denominator among those that had fallen ill. There wasn't any one food item all the victims had consumed and in further analysis of the different samples taken from the location nothing had been found either. There was no reason for around 30 people to get sick all of a sudden.

And as if that wasn't enough, it had all started as if someone had dropped a bomb to the diner. That was the reason for the investigation. The media had already started to stir up panic about a possible terrorist attack, which had to be ruled out as soon as possible. Given that the place that got hit was also a favourite among the officers, the police department had been affected too.

Copied from this article.

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The Impact of Exposure to Gun Violence

Exposure to gun violence, such as a shooting, can be particularly difficult to cope with for a number of reasons. First, shootings are unpredictable and uncontrollable. Situations that are perceived as unpredictable and uncontrollable are much more likely to bring on high levels of helplessness, anxiety, and fear. In addition, situations like this may leave a person feeling as though there is nothing they can do to protect themselves in the future.

Second, during a shooting, there is an extreme threat to a person's life. This can drastically change our outlook on life, as well as destroy commonly-held assumptions that we are safe, or beliefs like "bad things won't happen to me."

In addition to feeling as though your own life is in danger, during a shooting, a person is also more likely to be exposed to the death or injury of others. This may bring up feelings of horror, magnifying the impact of this type of traumatic event.

Some of these symptoms may include:

Frequent and intense nightmares about the event.

Intrusive thoughts or memories about the shooting that are easily triggered by things in your environment (for example, newspaper articles, television shows, movies, conversations about the shooting).

Attempts to avoid situations or places that remind you of the shooting. This may especially be the case for places where you feel you could be in danger of experiencing a similar event again (for example, unfamiliar places or crowded places).

A high level of fear and anxiety upon hearing sounds that are similar to a gunshot, such as a car backfiring or fireworks.

Feeling constantly on edge or always on guard, almost as if there is danger lurking around every corner.

Having difficulties sleeping. For example, you may feel overly alert, and as a result, wake up in response to even the slightest of sounds.

Getting The Help That You Need

In the aftermath of a shooting, it is very important to monitor your symptoms. Many of the symptoms that may arise, such as being on edge and constantly on guard, are actually part of your body's natural and adaptive response to a highly stressful event. For many people, these symptoms will naturally decline over time. However, for some, these symptoms may persist and get worse, ultimately leading to the development of PTSD. If you notice that your symptoms are getting worse, it is very important to intervene early on.

Studies have also shown that having and seeking out social support can be beneficial inrecovering from a traumatic event. Therefore, even though you may want to avoid people or isolate, it is very important to remain active and maintain your connections with friends and loved ones.

In addition, keep an eye out for unhealthy coping strategies, such as drug or alcohol use. Although substance use may be very effective in reducing anxiety in the short-term, it is only a temporary solution. Substance use only masks the anxiety. It does not help you work through it. Consequently, the anxiety will often come back, and sometimes, it will come back even stronger.

More useful info:

An Overview of PTSD Symptoms

Self-Medication in PTSD

PTSD and emotional avoidance

The Fight or Flight Response: Our Body's Response to Stress

Recovering from and Overcoming Trauma