The trauma and grief of community violence often affects us all in some way. Coming together to honor those who’ve died and finding meaning in their deaths can help everyone in the community develop a common bond and begin to recover.

What Can I Do To Cope With Grief?

• Talk to others who understand and respect how you feel—family members, faith leaders, people you trust. It’s a starting point to help ease your grief.
• Make sure to exercise and eat healthy meals. Keep your routines as regular as possible.
• Do the things that you’ve always enjoyed doing, even if you don’t always feel like it.
• Allow yourself to feel joy at times and to cry when you need to. Both emotions are completely understandable.

If you’ve experienced the death of a friend or loved one—or if you’ve been exposed to community violence—feelings of grief and anger are a normal reaction.

Recognize that although you might still have these feelings over a long period, they will likely become less intense over time. But, if these feelings persist, it may help to talk to a professional therapist.

(Credit: SAMHSA Publication HHS Publication No. SMA-14-4888)