Health
Trump assassination attempt could have widespread mental health impact, experts say: ‘Vicarious trauma’
The attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Saturday, July 13, sent shock waves throughout America, affecting both public figures and private citizens alike.
For the people who witnessed the evil act — whether they were in attendance at the Pennsylvania rally or watching the incident from their homes — such violence can have significant mental and emotional repercussions, experts say.
Fox News Digital spoke with two mental health professionals about how the attack — which left one man dead and three injured, including the former president — can have a widespread psychological impact.
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Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist and author based in New York City, said that for the rally attendees, the reaction was likely one of shock and fear.
“In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, there may have been confusion and intense anxiety,” he told Fox News Digital.
People watch the Fox News Channel in front of the Fox News building in Manhattan after the former President Donald Trump was injured during the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. The suspected shooter was killed and another rally attendee was dead. (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“Attendees may also experience a post-traumatic stress response at some point, which includes acute stress reactions, nightmares and heightened arousal in response to stimuli that reminds them of the event.”
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In some cases, everyday noises that resemble the popping sound of the gunfire at the event could cause fear and anxiety, Alpert said.
Violent acts against public figures can significantly impact our collective psyche.
Dr. Zachary Ginder, a psychologist and founder of Pine Siskin Consulting in Riverside, California, shared similar predictions.
“Regardless of party affiliation, violent acts against public figures can significantly impact our collective psyche and lead to feelings of uncertainty, stress and anxiety,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Specifically, they challenge our sense of social order, control, trust, safety and security.”
Members of the crowd duck under chairs after former President Donald Trump is assisted offstage during a campaign rally on Saturday, July 13, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
These events can even dramatically shift a person’s world view, Ginder noted.
“When a prominent individual becomes a target, it can make us feel that no one is truly safe, leading to increased anxiety and hypervigilance,” he said.
In more severe cases, such an event can lead to difficulty concentrating or sleeping, plus heightened irritability, anger, outbursts or paranoia, according to Ginder.
“In addition, these incidents can trigger a form of vicarious trauma,” the expert said.
“Even for those not directly involved, engaging in the constant media cycle and political pundit discussions can lead to emotional distress, physical concerns and feelings of helplessness.”
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Another potential effect of a tragic event like Saturday’s shooting is amplified social and political tensions and even deeper divisions between groups, according to Ginder.
“As we try to make sense of acts of violence, human nature is to lean into existing networks and limit opportunities for dialogue, especially while one redefines how they see the world post-incident,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Humans naturally retreat to factions of comfort — but unfortunately, this can lead to scapegoating and a further erosion of trust in society and government.”
4 healthy coping mechanisms from experts
“There are quite a few positive, actionable activities that one can engage in to support healthy processing of societal trauma,” said Ginder.
“Find a news source you trust and stick with it,” a mental health expert advised. (Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The experts shared their recommendations for how to process such a jarring event.
1. Stick to a trusted source
After an event like the attempted assassination, rumors and conspiracy theories run rampant, most of which aren’t rooted in fact, according to Alpert.
“This only leads to conjecture and collective anxiety,” he warned.
He added, “Find a news source you trust and stick with it.”
“When a prominent individual becomes a target, it can make us feel that no one is truly safe.”
Even with a trusted source, it may be a good idea to take breaks from media consumption now and then, experts also advised.
“While recognizing that being informed is a part of being an engaged citizen, it is also important to practice mindful media consumption and limit exposure to sensationalized or solely speculative news coverage,” said Ginder.
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If this proves difficult, he suggests setting time limits using a cell phone timer or scheduling limited times to view updates.
2. Make time for self-care
“During times of stress, it becomes even more important to maintain a regular routine and engage in self-care,” Ginder said.
Self-care behaviors like getting enough exercise, eating well and indulging in hobbies can help provide a sense of normalcy, experts say. (iStock)
Healthy behaviors like preserving regular sleep routines, eating nutrient-rich foods, practicing prayer or meditation, indulging in hobbies and making time for physical activity may help provide a sense of normalcy and control, according to the expert.
3. Turn despair into positive action
“In the face of violence, many may feel compelled to take action to regain a sense of control,” Ginder said.
“This can be helpful in processing emotions, especially when turned into positive action.”
Individuals may want to consider volunteering, engaging in communities of faith or shared interests, participating in local government, or supporting organizations that align with their values, Ginder suggested.
“This can help restore a sense of agency and purpose,” he added.
Individuals may want to consider engaging in communities of faith or shared interests to help cope with the effects of a traumatic event, an expert suggested. (iStock)
Cultivating compassion, hope, empathy and understanding can also support overall well-being, according to the expert.
“Research suggests that reiterating positive affirmations or self-talk, practicing kindness, and maintaining a positive mindset and outlook can help bolster one’s sense of subjective well-being,” Ginder said.
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4. Seek help when you need it
While it is perfectly normal to be affected by societal trauma, if the impact begins to affect daily functioning, relationships or mental health, Ginder said it is “highly advisable” to seek professional help from a licensed clinician.
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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