Coping with Disasters

The distressing reports and images of the massacre at Virginia Tech have inundated the media today. This news is heartbreaking and again illustrates that the world in which we live is fraught with turmoil. These portrayals of tragedy are disturbing. How do we cope with the fear and helplessness, the worry and need to help? The lack of answers to these questions is unsettling and for those with severe mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, these can raise stress levels to the point of becoming triggers for episodes and decreased functioning. Here are a few ideas for coping with and relieving this anxiety.