ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Seeing Buffalo Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin collapse on the field and go into cardiac arrest during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday came as a shock to many.
- Damar Hamlin's collapse from cardiac arrest could trigger feelings of anxiety
- An Allentown psychologist calls it 'collective trauma'
- She suggests talking to friends, family or a professional about anxious feelings
Hamlin’s doctors say he’s now awake and responsive, but watching the scary situation play out still may have some viewers feeling uneasy.
“It is different than what you see in scripted TV.”Hillary Amman, founder of the Center for Anxiety and Women's Emotional Wellness in Allentown
“I think it does take a little more thought and a little more just focus on well-being than the average injury, or it is different than what you see in scripted TV,” said Hillary Amman, founder of the Center for Anxiety and Women's Emotional Wellness in Allentown.
The local psychologist said watching a traumatic event play out on live TV can have a lasting impact, even causing post-traumatic stress disorder.
Collective trauma
Amman called it collective trauma: When a wide range of people experience the same traumatic event.
“In a sense, it was collective trauma, where all of these people witnessed this really horrific thing happened to Damar Hamlin,” Amman said.
“That same term can be used when we think of the pandemic, when we think of mass shootings. We as a community of people are all dealing with that.”
“Whether you had a personal experience or that was just difficult to watch for you, talk to people."Hillary Amman
She said watching something disturbing on live TV can trigger feelings of anxiety.
"Whether you had a personal experience or that was just difficult to watch for you, talk to people," Amman said.
"Another tip I give is recognize how much you're consuming in terms of media.” She suggests turning off the TV, stepping away from social media, and getting some rest.
Amman says if talking to friends or family about those feelings doesn’t help, then she suggests reaching out to a professional for counseling.
'A really good turning point'
On the NFL’s website, doctors from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Thursday said the following about Hamlin’s condition:
"We had significant concern about him after the injury and after the event that happened on the field, but he is making substantial progress," Dr. Timothy Pritts said.
"As of this morning, he is beginning to awaken, and it appears that his neurological condition and function is intact. We are very proud to report that, and very happy for him and for his family and for the Buffalo Bills organization that he is making improvement.
"He continues to be critically ill. He continues to undergo intensive care in our surgical and trauma ICU. He's being cared for by ICU neuro-critical care teams, trauma surgery and a cardiology team, as well as our expert nurses and respiratory therapists.
"They are attending to him, and he still has significant progress that he needs to make, but this marks a really good turning point in his ongoing care."
