
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 2, 1995                   TAG: 9505020093
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: STACY JONES
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

THE PAIN CAN REACH FAR AND WIDE

And event like the Oklahoma City bombing and its aftermath can have an emotional effect even on people who witness it from afar via television or other media, said Sue Riggs, a licensed professional counselor at The Counseling Center in Roanoke.

She said it can cause symptoms of depression, guilt and a general sadness.

``There's very strong stimuli in the media,'' she said. ``This [bombing] is such a horrific thing and with more graphic details, this is just the normal reaction. With all the vivid details our empathy skyrockets.''

Media coverage can work the other way too, she explained. ``If there were a bunch of good news or positive images on, people would identify with that too.''

Riggs said only a small percentage of people will be pushed into full-blown depression by a news event. And when it does happen, it may have less to do with the news than with an individual's previous experiences.

``To have such a strong reaction, there has to be something underlying that reaction,'' Riggs said. That person ``may have already had the blues. An event like this can push our buttons and turn stuff on from the past.''

Still, said Riggs, ``people are truly kind of down'' since the Oklahoma City bombing and ``those who really key into the scariest part of terrorism have a real, valid fear.''

While it is unlikely that professional help would be necessary, Riggs offered some advice to help get rid of the anxiety.

``Get away from the stimuli,'' she said. ``This definitely doesn't lift you up, so don't watch it 24 hours a day.''

by CNB