It is almost impossible to escape the reminders of the anniversary of 1October if you live in Las Vegas.
It is on every local channel, often outside of newscasts. Social media is full of stories about it. Some companies have even resorted to using it as advertising. If you unplug from the world, it is hard to miss Mandalay Bay driving around the southern part of Las Vegas Valley.
Some locals are coping with it just fine and always have. There are some that are suffering from anxiety, depression or other emotions. Others, like my wife and I, are somewhere in between. There are many ways to deal with the 1October anniversary to help keep you emotionally stable.
Need to mourn?
There is no shame in having anxiety or depression related to the attack, even a year later. You did not have to be there to have felt the emotions and trauma of the victims and their families.
There are several places that you can go and find help and others feeling the same way. You can visit the Memorial Exhibit at the Clark County Government Center or the Healing Garden. While it may be emotional, you will also find others in the same boat as you. You may find solace in giving respect to those that lost their lives that night while feeling the support of others around you.
Visiting the site helped my wife and I
One of the first actions my wife and I made that helped us was walking the area around Mandalay Bay, Luxor and the concert site. We did this shortly after Las Vegas Blvd reopened. My wife was familiar with the area east of the Strip from going to the American Ninja Warrior tapings. Those are filmed on the lot across Giles Street from the concert venue. We went back a second time after Giles Street reopened.
Seeing the area normal was part of the healing process. If you still have issues with the attack, I suggest giving this a try.
Give back to the community
My wife and I decided that we needed to fight evil with good. Giving back to the community became our goal.
We had never donated blood before 1October. Clearly there was a need for this after the attack. We gave blood for the first time on Nevada Day 2017. Since then, my wife has given blood three more times. I have done it twice. Our next appointment is Nevada Day.
There is something about this that gives us a great feeling as we know it is helping someone in need. It is healthy for your body as well.
We have also done volunteer work and expanded our charitable donations. I took on the cause of raising awareness of problem gambling. The shooter’s history of it was a motivating factor.
Go to a show
Everybody needs to laugh. This seems like a time we need to do it more. Go see a show. I discussed several ways locals can get free tickets to comedy clubs in my discounts for locals post. My wife and I go to one every week or two and have for years. We find them fun, even if we are not trying to escape anything.
Comedy clubs may not be for everyone. Some of those free ticket sites have other types of shows like magic or theatrical productions.
Keep busy
If you are having issues with the 1October anniversary, sitting around the house this weekend is probably not a good idea unless you are going to read a book and unplug from everything. Get some exercise. Take your dogs to the park. Meet with friends. Play with your kids. Enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant.
Talk to someone
There is no shame in needing to talk to someone to help clear your mind. This is going to be an emotional weekend in Las Vegas for much of its population. You will find many people happy to listen.
I needed that last year. I wonder if I will again. Catch up with friends and family this weekend. Even if you do not talk about the tragedy, it will still feel good to talk with people in your life that you have not connected with in a while.
Don’t have someone to talk to? You do now.
I made the same offer immediately after the attack. I had email exchanges with several people. It helped all of us.
If you need someone to talk to, leave your email in the comments below. It will not publish as I must moderate it to prevent spam. I will contact you as soon as possible at that address. It can be anonymous. I do not care. I will not discuss the conversation with anyone. If we talked after the attack last year, I would love to hear from you again.
