Gun Violence Leaves Lasting Impacts on Students’ Mental Health
Since the infamous shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, the United States has experienced 377 school shootings, resulting in the deaths of at least 185 children, educators, and others. Though many students escape with their lives, they don’t emerge unscathed. The increasing instances of gun violence in schools severely impact the mental health of students.
Young adults in college have grown up in a post-Columbine world with the threat of a shooting hanging over their heads throughout the entirety of their time in school.
“The earliest I remember hearing about gun violence was in middle school,” Rebecca Butcher, a senior at Marist College said. “I remember having an assembly learning about the victims of Sandy Hook and how to treat others with kindness so nothing would ever happen like that at my school.”
Matthew Devine, a sophomore at Marist College, also recalled his first memory of a school shooting being the events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, which left 26 dead, 20 of them, children. Devine remembered thinking “what if this happened at my elementary school?”
Even if students don’t experience gun violence first-hand, many still experience distressing psychological impacts, including increased levels of anxiety and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to Jonathan S. Comer, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Florida International University, exposure to mass shootings in the media can create a cycle of distress that deteriorates the mental health of students, parents, and educators.
“I literally cannot watch coverage on gun violence or I’ll get anxiety from it,” Devine said. He explained that the fear of an active shooter situation causes him to constantly look for an exit route in class and other public spaces.
Butcher experiences similar anxieties that interrupt her everyday life. “I am honestly scared every time I hear a loud bang,” she said. Though Butcher is set to graduate college in May, she fears for others still in school. Her father works at Rochester City School, which recently experienced an active shooter situation.
“My father was tasked with guarding the students and the school from an active shooter but was given no resources to do so. He was not protected and it was very scary,” she said.
Keyshawn Louison, a sophomore at Dutchess Community College, said the threat of a shooting affecting himself or his loved ones has made him more cautious. “It’s always a thought that something could happen… you just never know if it could happen to you.”
According to a study from Stanford University, people living in close proximity to gun violence are at a higher risk for mental health problems. The study found that antidepressant use in young people within 5 miles of a shooting increased by 20 percent.
“I am reminded of the family weekend incident where an active shooter murdered a student’s father,” Butcher said, referring to a shooting at a Poughkeepsie hotel in October of 2022. “Yes, this happened off campus, but it raised a serious concern that the school was in fact the target.”
Despite all three students reporting that they feel fairly safe on their campuses, the constant exposure to school shootings in the media and close to home still takes its toll.
“I would say that gun violence has impacted my mental health by just being a drain on my view of hope for the world,” Butcher said. “Every day it feels like we are hearing of another shooting, and every day the government is not united in making a change.”
Students across the country are pushing for a stronger response to gun violence, which includes better mental health resources, as well as more comprehensive gun control laws.
“I think in order to deal with the problem of gun violence, America needs to take mental health seriously along with passing common sense gun laws,” Devine said. He believes all schools should require mental health check-ins for students with licensed professionals, so schools can recognize warning signs and get students the help they need. “The big question is are Americans actually willing to put in the effort to listen to those who are struggling and provide more help?”
Louison echoed Devine’s thoughts on a solution. “I think being able to get a gun should be far more difficult, as guns could end up in the wrong hands.”
Though the solutions to end gun violence in schools are always a debate, one thing is clear: students and their mental health are suffering — and they are tired of inaction from the people who are supposed to protect them.
As Butcher put it, “Thoughts and prayers do nothing, and having no solution is unbelievably tiring and draining to my mental health and sanity.”
