Gun Violence: The Impact on Students Mental Health

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Gun Violence: The Impact on Students Mental Health

By: Francesca Warner

As schools reopen their doors for the 2025-2026 school year, the looming fear of gun violence lingers in the back of students, teachers, and administrator’s minds. The fear is very rational, as only recently young students lost their lives in an environment where safety is prioritized. This tragedy took place on Wednesday, August 27th, at a Minnesota Catholic School during back-to-school mass. Due to the increase in the amount of gun violence threats to schools in the past several years, a major cause for concern lies in the question; what is this doing to students’ mental health and wellness?

Authors at kff.org state that “Exposure to gun violence is linked to post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety in addition to other mental health concerns” (Panchal & Zitter, 2025, para. 16). The idea that school is a safe haven for learning, friendship, and personal growth is ripped away and replaced with trauma and the burden that comes with it. The severity of violence that automatic weapons can produce is too much for young minds to process, and that lack of processing can impact a healthy mind fiercely.

To support these students who are either dealing with gun violence trauma or fear of gun violence overall, loved ones/family members can:

  • Be a supportive and judgement free listener
  • Encourage those effected to reach out to professionals
  • Respect boundaries and personal healing processes

SOURCE: The Impact of Gun Violence on Children and Adolescents

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact our psychotherapy offices in New York or New Jersey to talk to one of our licensed professional psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners, or psychotherapists at Arista Counseling and Psychotherapy. Contact our Paramus, NJ, or Manhattan, NY offices respectively, at (201) – 368-3700 or (212)-722-1920 to set up an appointment. For more information, please visit https://aristapsychiatrypsychotherapy.com/

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