The Movie Theater Massacre and you

By now, you may have heard about the cowardly shootings of innocent people that took place at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater. I deal with more death situations as a Workplace Chaplain than I ever imagined I would. Still, I can't imagine how stressful it must be to know a cell phone is ringing in the pocket of a dead loved one inside a dark movie theater, or how disturbing it must be to have anticipated an enjoyable evening with a friend result in a life-altering injury or death. 

When a senseless event like this takes place, Chaplains and Grief Counselors spring into action with the sole purpose of assisting anyone who may have been traumatized by what took place. Truth is, whether it's a mass murder, a plane flying into a building, a rape, a mugging, a divorce, a church split, or the death of a pet, normal people will act in a manner 'normal' for them in the midst of ABNORMAL events. Even the most macho, very stoic "hero" is only acting normally for him, yet, when the dust settles, even HE will require post-disaster help. 

It's called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The impact of PTSD upon a human being can result in self-destructive behavior, eating and sleeping disorders, relational problems and so much more. Who has been affected by PTSD? Sadly, more people than we care to acknowledge, especially when we consider how few even know they have it, or are denying they have it.

My contention is this: Since the mind cannot separate what actually happened to US vs. what we only SAW on a movie or heard someone talk about, any abnormal occurrence can have an impact. We are merely receptacles, after all, taking in everything our 5 senses are exposed to, but once it's "in there," it's there to stay. For example, I heard a story about a kid who played with his Gameboy incessantly and was constantly shooting and killing others as part of the game. One day, his dad - a cop - left his revolver on the table and fell asleep. The boy grabbed the gun, got on the school bus, and started shooting other kids as they rode to school. One comment he made afterward was quite telling: "Why didn't they get up?" he asked. You see, his mind was merely registering shootings and resurrections; it's what he was accustomed to seeing.

That being said, ALL of us have been impacted by the movie theatre massacre. The Spirit of Terrorism has had an impact on our society in a myriad of ways.

My point is, nobody goes through life unscathed. You ARE gonna "get some on ya!" Some of us will be exposed to more pain and mayhem during the course of our life than others. One of the #1 ways you can "push back" if you feel what you've experienced has had a negative effect on your life, is to talk it out and pray through it. Issues such as deliverance and forgiveness are available to us all. 

You don't have to carry these burdens any longer. If you need assistance, just ask.

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

Founder, The Church @ Work