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Impacts of school shootings on mental health
Many school systems, policymakers have failed to acknowledge how important mental health is for ones health especially our younger generation that have experinced such unfortunate events. Throughout the years in the United States there has been multiple school shootings leading to negative impacts on everyones mental health as well as the parents, family of these children and ones who walked away unharmed. Policymakers should be aware of how immediately a change should be done to prevent these frequent school shootings. Back in May 24, 2022, 21 lives were lost in the Uvalde shooting these innocent lives were taken with no remorse and no one to pay for the consequenses. Although help is assured to these survivors the gun violence does not stop there. The issue is the government not making a change right away and the fact that families, parents, teachers, and the ones who were just present will have a difficult time in the long run. Anxiety, panic attacks, antidepressants are what these young kids, teachers, parents and families are left to deal with after such tragic events. Going back to this environment in a matter of weeks can only be so unimaginable. CNN news share what the Center for Violence Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia mentioned how, “In many cases, these schools are closed or entirely renovated in an attempt to decrease the traumatic reminders that they have become for community members.” With such being said I can assume that many will still feel a certain way to the place and specific area that caused traumatic experience for the victims and survivors of these gruesome events. Fearing sending your loved one to a place that’s about learning and leaving with trauma or the thought of your own child being at risk of this is something parents now have to take into consideration and worries start to overflow for many parents.

What can be done to help improve mental health to the ones affected
With the help provided by the government compared to the studies that help show how PTSD has increased in those trauma survivors lets us know enough is not being done for victims of these shootings. Furthering these unfortunate circumstances schools could help children by allowing them to process as one should and showing consistant emotional support for them. Allowing school systems to have an open choice when it comes to returning to the school whether kids decide when they feel ready or even offering online classes. The government as well should take action into how to prevent this from happening and making a change on gun violence to better the world for our children that are the future to us. To feel safe and protected on school grounds security should be on school campus all days of the week and staying alert throughout the days to insure the safety of everyone in campus. Making school doors bulletproof and all entrances less accessible to just anyone is another way school systems can do to help this issue. Therefore, it’s unfair for anyone under the school building to have to return to a place in such short period without fully healing mentally, emotionally and physically after such traumatic experience whether it’s been razed or not. Pushing the government to hear the voices of each individual that has been affected is the way to get help not only for the victims and survivors, but for our mental health.