There has been a tragic shooting causing death and multiple injuries. All of you will react in your own individual way. Some people will have many strong reactions, while others will experience it in a lesser manner. There are some general reactions that many of you may experience.

Hearing that people have been killed or seriously hurt can give you a sinking feeling, like your heart fell to the pit of your stomach. The first reaction will be shock, and you may find yourself saying things like "I can't believe it." You may feel numb and initially not react at all.

You may feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of this event. It may seem more like something from the movies than something from your own life. The senselessness of so many people being affected has a powerful impact on us.

You may also experience some strong feelings, such as fear and a sense of vulnerability. These feelings are very normal. You may also become extremely cautious both for your own safety and for the safety of others close to you. Your sense of security and well-being has been shaken and it is perfectly normal to feel concerned that a similar event could happen again.

You may find yourself feeling extremely angry. This too is a very normal reaction to such a senseless tragedy. You may also have a sense of guilt about feeling relieved that the tragedy did not happen to you or your family.

You may find yourself feeling angry or irritable towards others, especially those who may be showing less concern regarding this event. This is difficult to handle particularly if you are directly affected by the tragedy and loss. Your community may be grieving, and questions from the press or public may feel intrusive. Don't bottle up your feelings, but talk about them with a close friend, family member or professional counsellor.

You may find, after an event such as this, that you are more fatigued or more emotional than usual. You may experience trouble sleeping, have flashbacks of images you have seen or have nightmares about this event. These experiences may be very frightening but are normal and will diminish with time.

In some instances you may want to try to forget that this tragedy happened and push it out of your mind. This type of reaction is normal and understandable.

Your children may be aware of the incident and feel upset or scared. It is important to talk to them about what happened and answer their questions in language appropriate to their age. Allow your children to express their feelings, as it will help them come to terms with what has occurred. Children may also worry about their safety or yours. This is normal.

Reassure and remind them (and yourself) of the rarity and uniqueness of this event. Minimize your children's exposure, as much as possible, to the repeated media coverage of this traumatic event.

It is very important to take good care of yourself when you are under this kind of stress. This means eating healthy foods, resting and sleeping, exercising and listening to your body's needs. During this period, people may try to control their reactions by overusing caffeine, alcohol and other unhealthy lifestyle choices. In most cases the benefits are short lived and overusing them can lead to other kinds of problems.

If you find yourself or a family member struggling to cope with the aftermath of this event, feel free to contact your EAP program.