Long-Term Mental Health Impacts of Firearm Violence: A Global Perspective

Recent comprehensive research highlights that exposure to firearm violence has enduring effects on mental health, extending well beyond direct victims. A systematic scoping review published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry emphasizes that interventions addressing firearm-related risks must consider both immediate and complex psychosocial pathways influencing mental well-being across populations.

Dr. Rodolfo Furlan Damiano from the University of São Paulo and his team conducted an extensive analysis of 467 studies from various disciplines including criminology, public health, and sociology. Their findings reveal that firearm access and exposure significantly affect mental health, with the majority of research focusing on suicide, firearm violence, and fear. However, notable gaps remain in understanding other mental health conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and substance use disorders.

The review uncovers three key psychological mechanisms through which firearms influence mental health:

1. Impulsive Actions During Distress: Firearms can facilitate impulsive behaviors during psychological crises, increasing suicide risk by up to five times, regardless of prior mental health history.
2. Amplification of Aggression and Anxiety: Firearms act as "psychological amplifiers," worsening aggression, fear, anxiety, and trauma symptoms among those exposed, creating feedback loops that intensify distress.
3. Symbolic Power Dynamics: Firearms symbolize power and vulnerability, affecting societal perceptions and behaviors, especially in contexts like intimate partner violence, where they are linked to increased control and hypermasculinity.

The authors stress the importance of a whole-government approach that integrates mental health screening, firearm safety policies, and socioeconomic strategies to mitigate these harms. Their findings underscore that societal reliance on firearms not only poses physical dangers but also triggers profound psychological effects that transcend individual cases.

This research advocates for multilayered interventions targeting the ecological levels of firearm impact, emphasizing that reducing firearm-related mental health issues requires understanding and addressing the intertwined social and psychological factors involved.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-mental-health-effects-exposure-firearm.html