Livingston County's neighbors have seen too many mass shootings. What's the mental toll?

LIVINGSTON COUNTY — Over the past three years, Livingston County has been, quite literally, surrounded by mass shootings.

The proximity of recent events, including the seemingly random shooting at a splash pad in Rochester Hills on June 15, the murder of three Michigan State University students in 2023, and the high-profile attack on Oxford High School in 2021, has forced locals to reckon with the reality that simply existing in public spaces is a risk.

There's a psychological cost to the frequency of mass shootings — and it may be affecting how often Livingston County residents feel anxious when they're out and about.

“I think the days of saying, ‘It won't happen here,’ are off people's radar," said Connie Conklin, director of Livingston County Community Mental Health. "There's more awareness that it can happen.

"If you look at where these are happening, it ranges from the grocery store to a big event. That's the fear part that I think translates differently to, ‘Is there any place that's really safe?’ That's where I think people become more fearful, and it actually limits and isolates people more, which creates a different mental health issue.”

Part of the answer, truly, may be unplugging.

A study from 2017 — “The Mental Health Consequences of Mass Shootings" — found that media exposure can have negative mental health effects even on those not directly impacted by the event.

“Media coverage of mass shootings and their aftermath reaches far beyond affected communities, to the entire nation and beyond.”

'If something doesn't seem or feel right, chances are it's probably not.'

Aside from living in armor, there isn’t much the average person can do to protect themselves from an actual shooting.

“The only thing you can do to help yourself be prepared is what we call, in our world, situational awareness,” said Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy.

“Be very aware of your surroundings. Look for that person that, when it's 88 degrees outside, is wearing a long-sleeved shirt and long pants and maybe even a light jacket. Something that stands out, where they can hide stuff easily, that type of thing. If something doesn't seem or feel right, chances are it's probably not."

According to Conklin, that situational awareness has become an almost unconscious response for many. Expending that anxiety in public spaces is not only mentally taxing, it takes away some of the enjoyment from events and social gatherings.

"When I go someplace, I'm looking at, 'How am I gonna get out of here? Where are the exits?'" Conklin said. "That has an impact on how you interact with whatever you're doing. It creates a little less joy."

It stems not just from mass shootings, but as a symptom of increasing social isolation, Conklin said. From social media to a lack of "third spaces" beyond work and home, loneliness has an impact on how we interact with others.

"It's just the unpredictableness of how people interact around each other," she said.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

— Contact reporter Tess Ware attware@livingstondaily.com.