Society experiences different challenges in the economic, social or political aspects that have long and short-term impacts. The problems realized in the society, hence, needs to be addressed objectively by instituting measures and actions through the formulation of policies and guidelines that try to limit the adverse effects of different concerns realized in the society. In the recent times, the people that have access and acquired guns, for example, has continued to increase meant to provide safety and defense to the owners but at times the contrary has happened in the societies. It is in some incidence where they have abused such privileges and instead turns against the public and the innocent people resulting in more harm and damage to society. Active shooters and those who own firearms, therefore, through such incidences have attracted the attention of many including the political class that has tried to come up with legislation that tries to limit a repeat of massive damage to the public in the event such incidence of actual shooting occurs. It is by formulation of laws and legislation that not only limit the number of guns or firearms that a person can acquire but also limits the capacity of such guns in terms of the number of ammunition that it can carry in an effort to possibly mitigate and try to reduce the potential damage that can result from such incidences. Such occurrences related to active shooters has also attracted the interests of psychologists and sociologists that try to establish the possible causes that result into such inhuman actions. And, hence, the field has also attracted significant attention from scholars and researchers in the noted disciplines that try to find and answer questions that many have regarding such occurrences in the society. However, this paper analyzes the effects of active shooters in today’s society.
Active shooters in today’s society have created more fear and specifically in the recent times that active shooting incidences have occurred in the public places such as schools, hospitals and even shopping centers among others. It has ended up causing massive damage that include injuries, loss of lives and destruction of property as well as long consequences related to fear and anxiety (Doss & Shepherd, 2015). The mental health of those victims or close family members and relatives that lose their loved ones or get injured in such incidences of active shooting leaves them with permanent scars and marks in their lives that develop long-term fear. It is because in many incidences of active shooting it ends up in horrific scenes that prove difficult for a person to forget for a long time even when they get psychological counseling and other related measures that would try to help overcome such incidences of adverse effect to their health. In some active incidences, the actions have prolonged even for a more extended period as close as 48 hours when law enforcement tries to neutralize such incidences. It is mainly in incidences where the active shooters hold people at ransoms and control them in a particular room or place extending the tortures that result in injuries, deaths, and destruction of property among others negative mental and psychological challenges that happen in the short and long-term. The mental health of the victims and family or friends or the people who witness such incidences more often results in shock and fear that that can prolong for a long time. It occurs in other negative mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorders (PSTD), clinical depression and fatigue that when not treated and encountered can result into more health damages and negative consequences for the health of those affected (Hodge & Nelson, 2014). It has made the victims that survive such incidences of active shooting as well as witnesses of such active shooting developing constant fear and react negatively when they see, for instance, a person with a firearm even when they are law enforcers or any other persons that have no evil intention holding firearms. It reminds them of the horrific incidents that they were victims or witnessed and, therefore, it keeps them anxious and cautionary that impacts on their thinking and actions that they have in such incidences. Some have even developed fear of going out for shopping or similar places when they witnessed or were victims of such incidences. The clinical depression that can result from the prolonged constant fear that leads from such horrific occurrences of active shooters can results in more damages to those affected and, hence, would require the clinical intervention such as psychotherapy and prescription medication (Burrese, 2018). It would imply more costs and expenses in the health requirements of a person that were not anticipated and budgeted for that shifts the focus that people have on other aspects and processes of development in their lives. The exhaustion and fear that keeps people think profoundly and leave them in more profound thoughts when they remember the incidences or even when their loved ones are victims of such incidences of active shooting might results in fatigue due to the exhaustion of the brain thinking so much and also the lack of peace that might prevent such victims and close friends and family members from sleeping and getting enough rest that might also impact on their health negatively. Sleep is essentially essential that refreshes people and relaxes them making them become more active and engaged in productive activities positively and effectively. However, when fatigue is constant in their lives, they feel exhausted that they hardly get involved in productive actions and useful output because of the exhaustion and fatigue that can be both mental and physical (Hess, 2016).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The physical health of people that witness such horrific active shooters incidences as well as victims and survivors of the active shooting incidences is negatively impacted. The constant fear and horrific events that happen in such events resulting in intense fear can lead to physical health problems such as gastrointestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome and ulcers as well as cardiovascular damage due to weakened immune system resulting from fear. The fatigue that results from excessive thinking and thoughts from fear of such shooting incidences also makes people physicality weak and inactive that might further deteriorate their health that can result into accelerated aging and eventually premature deaths (Ready.gov, 2018). In worst cases, to those who get injuries and physical damage in such shooting, they might end up being paralyzed or even lose part of their body through surgical operations in the processes of trying to save lives and help the victims of an active shooting that impact negatively on their physical health. Some have been rendered into a permanent disability that is serious because of the injuries that they get from such shooting incidences that have made them and their lives change in many aspects. It is due to a physical disability that they get when parts of their bodies are damaged that compels the healthcare givers such as surgeons to intervene in such critical incidences. Where some have been rendered into physical disability when such injuries are massive that damage essential parts of the body such as the nervous system that impacts on their movements and locomotion of the body parts. The rapid change of the locomotion and movements aspects of a person for example that results from instant difference in their lives and immediate disability can impact on their health negatively due to the fear and changed live that results in more negative health damage due to the stress that when not checked can also lead into premature death and introduction of other health complications that occur from stress such as high blood pressure and heart diseases among others (Hodge & Nelson, 2014 ).
Brain processing and reactivity is also negatively impacted by active shooting incidences. The brain controls different processes that control the body that include emotions and also interpretation of other non-verbal signs and clues in communication among others. The fear that active shooting incidences brings can affect and alter the way the brain functions and help people in interpreting different incidences in their environment. In normal incidence, people are expected to reflect and act ethically to different incidences in life. However, when such active shooting incidence brings fear to the victims and witnesses of such events the way they react and regulate emotions as well as interpret their environment might be impacted negatively where they might be more susceptible to such events or even wrong interpretation of events and, therefore, it might results in conflict and increases exposure to dangerous situations because of the impulse reactions and intense emotions that can prove difficult to control for longer period (Lankford, 2015 ). It is the reason victims and witness of such horrific shooting incidences more often than not react negatively when they see for example a person with a firearm even when such persons do not have any bad intention and they can overreact that can bring attention and results in potential conflict and communication breakdown in such scenarios because the brain processing and reactivity has been impacted where emotion control and impulse reactions also are directly impacted by such fears. It is also the reason some people especially those that have witnessed such incidences of active shooting or have become victims of such active shooting might contact the police and other law enforcers when they feel that they are threatened by an incidence because of the lack of control of emotions and impulse reactions that limits their chance of correctly interpreting an incidence due to the fear that impacted the brain functioning and processing resulting from active shooting incidences. It has, hence, contributed to the explanations that result in wrong identity of people to the police when they react to such calls.
Memory that is also an essential part controlled by the brain can negatively be impacted due to the constant and chronic fear that results from active shooters victims and witnesses. Parts of the brain such as hippocampus responsible for long-term memory can be damaged because it limits people reflecting and thinking on many positive events that happen in the past. It leaves them only concentrating on the severe events that resulted in fear and, as a result, it might impact and damage their thinking and memory that can end up breaking communication and relationships (Blair et al., 2016). It leaves people more often in an anxious position, and scary that impacts negatively on their memory limiting interactions and other positive events that can results from a regulated memory in a typical setup.
Active shooters have inflicted injuries and death to victims and even destroyed properties worth millions of dollars. In the event of death, families have broken up leaving chidden orphans, men widowers and women widows that has also changed and impacted the relationship between and among the different people and members of a family. The family is respected and recognized as the basic unit of society. When such fundamental units of society are negatively damaged and their potential limited, it implies the entire society feels the pain and damages that result from such active shooting. When the breadwinners of such families fall victims to active shooters, their lives change instantly when they lose their parents, for instance, that makes them more vulnerable and susceptible to other life challenges. Besides, such families undergo stress and fear due to the uncertainties that abruptly arises in their lives that might affect their health negatively (Doss & Shepherd, 2015). The loss of people, damage to property and increased number of people that have lost their loved ones impact on the economy negatively causing damages when the property are destroyed because they are investments that have attracted enormous financial resources to establish and, therefore, such damages resulting from active shooters impacts negatively on the economy in the society. Also, the professionals and people that become victims of active shooters or get injuries that can results in permanent disability also are withdrawn from active economic production and related activities. As human capital plays an essential part in the economic growth and development and, consequently, the losses that include human capital as well as physical capital due to active shooters events impacts on the economies of societies negatively (Gallaudet.edu, 2018). When the vulnerability of families increases resulting from the loss of their loved ones due to active shooters, it places more burden to the society. Where social programs are instituted to help such families, and people and such programs are funded more often by the states and governments in many parts of the world using the taxes that people give to the administrative units. It compels such administrative units to channel the resources such as funds meant for development in other projects to institute social changes and intervention to help such victims and survivors of active shooters as well as the witness that more often are affected mentally and psychologically.
The economy is also negatively impacted when incidences of active shooting occur. Many businesses and economic activities in the surroundings that such active shooting happens halt operations and close their businesses to limit exposure to danger and damage. Law enforcement agencies more often advice people to stay away from risk arising from such places as well as encourage business activities to shut down when they try to intervene and neutralize the situation (Ready.gov, 2018). In the end, the economic activities that would be going on in the noted case hence halt and, thus, it impacts the economy negatively as it stops the production process in the society. Additionally, the media in contemporary times have reacted to such events faster and within a span of the shortest time possible the public and masses would be glued to their television and news agencies following such events with close attention. Such publication, hence, also impacts the economic activities of other places because people even try to relate to the developing story of active shooters and, therefore, the fear generated more often prevents many people from engaging in productive economic activities at the time as they focus more often on the development of the story. The access to media facilities including social media more often contributes to the faster spread of such events s of active shooting worldwide. It impacts on the economy of the place or regions affected because it determines many factors and decisions taken that include international travels and interactions and such steps impact the whole economy of a country or region negatively. On the positive note, related businesses or places that have fallen victim of active shooters events also have formed lesson and opportunities to learn. As a result, incorporate strategically and measures that can prevent the damage or repeat of the same through the formulation of policies such as to limit, for instance, accessing such business premises with firearms. Also, putting up other physical measures such as the provision of armed security guards such as in educational institutions such as schools and even hospitals among others (Blair et al., 2016 ).
The effect of shooters in today’s society has also impacted the political process and events in the country. Politicians have actively debated such developments from both houses and have tried to come up with measures and reforms in the society that attempt to regulate and control not only gun access but also the capability of the guns that people have by limiting their potential and armor used. Such politician engagements and debates from different ideas have also attracted attention for the businesses dealers that transact on firearms and related products where they have petitioned the legislators and tried to protect their interest relating to firearms business and industry. The outcome of the political engagements has resulted in strict regulations and formulation of policies that make it difficult to acquire firearms as well as introduced intense scrutiny of the mental health that would ascertain the potential of a person qualification in accessing and owning firearms (Burrese, 2018). It has also resulted in close monitoring of people with firearms and their activities and measures that have empowered the law enforcement agencies to react promptly in such events of active shooting incidence. The drawback from the political class regarding the subject of active shooting that tries to control the firearms industry has mainly been the corporate and business interest. The politicians have and the relationship that they have with players in the firearms industry that more often have resulted in lack of enough actions and measures that can lead to stringent regulations in firearms that can reduce the incidences of an active shooting in the society.
Active shooting can impact my personal life that touch on work, family, school, wife and friends among others in different ways. Active shooting can prevent me from going to my place of work if I happen to work in a place near where the incident has occurred. It can also prevent me from going home when such incidence happen where or near my place of work. My wife and family would be stressed and have no peace when they hear that my place of work has experienced an active shooting incident. My family and friends and those close to me would be negatively affected when they happen to hear that where I work or live has experienced an incident of active shooting. It might impact them mentally and physically resulting in health complications.
In conclusions, active shooters in today’s society have impacted on many issues that touch on the economic, political as well as social aspects in the society. All stakeholders involved in the regulations of firearms as well as provisions of mental health services to the victims of active shooters as well as survivors and the injured that also include those who witness such events have to come up together and work in strategies and approaches that can be used to address the challenge objectively. The adverse effects especially arising from the physical aspects, mental aspects, and negative impact to the economy, breaking up of families, damage to memory, and even the political processes all indicate that active shooting in today’s society has caused more damage in all the sectors of the society and, therefore, it justifies an urgent measure and step taken to ensure that the adverse incidences are limited and there is prompt reaction in such events to limit the damage.
References
Blair,J.P., Nichols,T., Burns,D. & Curnutt, J.R. (2016). Active Shooter Events and Response . Boca Raton: CRC Press
Burrese, A. (2018). Survive a shooting: Strategies to survive active shooters and terrorist attacks: Alain Burrese . TGW BOOKS
Doss, K. T., & Shepherd, C. D. (2015). Active shooter: Preparing for and responding to a growing threat . Oxford, UK: Butterworth-Heinemann
Gallaudet.edu (2018). “Active Shooter Protocol.” Retrieved from https://www.gallaudet.edu/public-safety/emergency-preparedness-guide/active-shooter
Hess, R. (2016). Ready for an Active Shooter? Mobility Forum: The Journal of the Air Mobility Command’s Magazine , 25(3), 12–13. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=117916706&site=ehost-live
Hodge, J. G., & Nelson, K. (2014). Active Shooters in Health Care Settings: Prevention and Response through Law and Policy. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics , 42(2), 268–271. https://doi.org/10.1111/jlme.12141
Lankford, A. (2015). Mass Shooters in the USA, 1966–2010: Differences Between Attackers Who Live and Die. JQ: Justice Quarterly , 32(2), 360–379. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2013.806675
Ready.gov. ( 2018). “Active Shooter.” Retrieved from https://www.ready.gov/active-shooter
