When Violence Becomes Public: Mental Health in the Wake of Tragedy

On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a speaking event at Utah Valley University.

Almost immediately, videos, images, and messages of the event spread across social media, reaching millions.

For many of us, seeing violence on this scale—so raw, so public—brings up difficult feelings. It’s not just “sad” or “shocking.” It can trigger fear, anxiety, grief, guilt, anger, and a deep sense of instability.

This article breaks down how exposure to events like this can affect us mentally, and ways to begin recovering or protecting ourselves.

How These Events Affect Mental Health

Trauma and Vicarious Exposure

Even if you weren’t there, watching the moment of violence—especially in graphic detail—can trigger symptoms like hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, nightmares, or emotional numbing.

Anxiety and Fear

A sense of “What if this happens where I am?” is natural. We may worry about our safety, the safety of loved ones, or the rising tide of public violence. Media exposure compounds this.

Desensitization vs. Heightened Sensitivity

Repeated exposure to violence can make people numb—or paradoxically, more reactive and fearful. Either way, it takes a toll.

Guilt or Helplessness

Many feel guilt—why couldn’t I do something? Or shame for being relieved they didn’t witness it firsthand. These feelings can weigh heavily.

Grief and Mourning

Even if we didn’t know Charlie Kirk personally, events like these remind us of mortality, fairness, and loss. They stir grief for victims, for division, and for what’s lost in public kindness.

Polarization and Social Strain

Public violence often increases political and social tension. That compounds stress—for people already worn down by division, this is another layer to carry.

Impact on Youth and Vulnerable Populations

Young people are especially sensitive. They may see these acts as proof the world is unsafe or that the systems they depend on are failing them. Children, adolescents, and those with prior mental health issues are particularly vulnerable.

What Helps: 10 Steps to Cope & Heal

Here are ways to protect your mental health and begin to process what we’ve all witnessed:

1. Limit exposure – Constant replays and unfiltered clips magnify harm. It’s okay to step back.

2. Be mindful of what you consume – Choose trustworthy sources, and set boundaries around when and how you engage with news.

3. Talk about it – Share your feelings with friends, family, or a therapist. It’s normal to feel disoriented, sad, or unsafe.

4. Validate your feelings – There’s no “correct” response. If you feel shaken, those feelings are real and valid.

5. Grounding practices – Mindfulness, deep breathing, yoga, or nature walks help regulate overwhelm.

6. Maintain routines – Sleep, meals, work, rest—structure anchors the mind when the world feels unstable.

7. Support young people – Help kids and teens process what they see. Listen first, reassure, then guide.

8. Seek professional help if needed – If anxiety, insomnia, or intrusive thoughts persist, a mental health professional can help.

9. Community and solidarity – Join others—vigils, support groups, faith communities—to share grief and foster hope.

10. Focus on what you can control – Direct energy to things you can influence: communication, self-care, and helping others.

Final Thought

We live in a time where violence is often just a video away. It shakes us, sometimes at our core. What we saw with Charlie Kirk’s death—and others before it—forces us to reckon with vulnerability and what it means to feel safe.

But we don’t have to carry all of that alone. Healing isn’t about pretending it didn’t happen; it’s about finding ways to feel human again, to protect our hearts and minds, and to reach out to one another with compassion.

We need to build more than resilience. We need to build spaces—inside ourselves and in our communities—where grief has a place, fear can be named without shame, and hope isn’t silenced by how loud the world feels.