Our hearts and positive thoughts are going out to our Maine community. The tragedy that occurred last night continues to send shockwaves through Maine and beyond. You are not alone; We are here for you!
Step 1) Breathe & know you have support. Reach out to us for help & resources.
Here is Greg Marley from NAMI Maine sharing tips for navigating the complex emotions you may be feeling following the mass shooting events in Lewiston, Maine last night, via NEWS CENTER Maine.
Reach Out
CRISIS LINE: 1-888-568-1112
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call to speak with a trained crisis clinician 24/7. Our Mobile Crisis Team operates 24/7 & can respond to meet the need wherever individuals or families they are
NAMI Maine Help Line:
1-800-464-5767 – Call or Text for general mental health support and resources
INTENTIONAL WARM LINE:
1-866-771-9276 – Our 24/7 mental health support line for adults (aged 18 and older) offers free mutual conversations with a trained peer specialist who has lived experiences with mental health recovery
TEEN TEXT SUPPORT LINE:
207-515-8398 – Available from NAMI Maine every day from 12-10pm for youth 13-24 years old
COPING WITH TRAGIC EVENTS that occurred in Lewiston-Auburn yesterday will be extremely difficult, but together (with first responders, school personnel, family, and school personnel) our community will support each other in regaining our sense of safety.
Please make sure you are:
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- Checking in with your loved ones and discussing how you are feeling
- Take breaks from the news to give yourself time to process
- Work on a wellness plan to lean on including, but not limited to:
- Rest
- Breathing exercises
- Healthy actives
- Talk to people you trust to cope with yesterday’s catastrophe
There are resources available to help process this tragedy!
Links & Articles
1) Helpful Tips Provided by American Psychological Association
Talk about it: connect with someone you trust on how you are feeling. Receiving support and reassurance can help with the overwhelming emotions that are coming up.
Strive for balance: this extremely hard event can make things feel hopeless. Try to find a balance between talking about this and finding ways to think of what is meaningful and comforting to you.
Turn off and take a break: over exposure to this event can cause a lot of stress, please take breaks from all of the difficult information to process.
Honor your feelings: it is normal to feel a range of emotions after a traumatic event you may start to psychically feel your stress by being exhausted and sore.
Take care of yourself: eat, get rest, drink water, breathing exercises.
Help others to do something productive: sometimes focusing on tasks and helping others can help us feel better as well.
If you have recently lost friends or family in this or other tragedies: grief is a process for some it will be staying home for others it will be getting back into a routine, there will be many ups and downs. Give yourself time and grace to process and heal.
2) Coping With Grief After Community Violence
More Tips for Survivors
3) Joint Statement
from NAMI National and NAMI Maine On Fatal Shootings In Lewiston, Maine
4) Maine Public Radio Interview
with Greg Marley
