Over the past few years, there has been a seemingly endless stream of painful stories and images from around the world, including the deaths of more than 3 million people in the disaster. Severe special infectious pneumonia pandemic and the widespread trauma caused. Russia invades Ukraine.
Now, in late October 2023, the tragic loss Thousands of innocent civilian lives The conflict between Israel and Palestine dominates headlines and captures the world’s attention.As time passes day by day Ongoing war in Gaza As well as the dire news it brings, many of us find ourselves checking the news the moment we wake up and the last thing we do before going to sleep.
By now, most of us have seen the haunting images and videos of dead bodies, burned-out cars and destroyed buildings many times. This exposure is often unintentional. For example, when we scroll through Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram posts, we might see a post that tells a very raw and painful story about the suffering of Israeli and Gaza citizens.this worrying and nervous It has even been leaked to American Jewish and Muslim Communities.In mid-October, a Palestinian child in the United States stab to death Because of his family heritage.
I am a Trauma psychiatrist and researcher WHO works with refugees, first responders and survivors of torture and human trafficking. In my job, I hear detailed stories of patients’ pain that are distressing to me and can have a negative impact on me and my colleagues.
Through these experiences and my training, I have learned how to protect myself from too much emotion while remaining informed and helping my patients. In my recent book,"Fear: Understanding the Purpose of Fear and Harnessing the Power of Anxiety,” I explain in detail how media and politics contribute to our anxieties and outline ways we can reduce the impact.
Social media is awash with disturbing images of war, so it’s important to engage with children and ask questions about what they see and hear.
How images of disasters affect us
There is overwhelming evidence that trauma affects not only those who experience trauma, but also those who experience trauma. It also affects others who suffer in other ways. This happens in part because humans are empathetic, social animals. Indirect and vicarious trauma exposure occurs frequently in people’s lives. first responder, refugeejournalists and others, even if they do not Direct experience of trauma they themselves.
One way to get exposure is through the news, especially when it is visual, animated and highly relevant.Previous research has shown that exposure to news about terrorist attacks such as 9/11 May cause a wide range of emotional reactionsfrom PTSD causes symptoms of depression and anxietyamong two adults and children.
Another risk of continued exposure to horrific images is Desensitization and numbness. This means that some viewers may become too accustomed to these images, accepting them as the new normal and being unaffected. The tragic deaths of thousands are just a statistic to them.
How to protect yourself
Here are some practical tips on how to stay informed and minimize harm:
• Limit the exposure depth of detail. When I work with patients who have suffered severe trauma, I gather the information I need to help them, but I don’t push them to tell me more. Likewise, there are limits to how people can consume news. In other words, understand what’s going on and leave it at that. Avoid the urge to disastrous peeping. If you’ve heard the story, you probably don’t need to search for images or videos; if you’ve seen them, there’s no need to relive them over and over again.
• Reduce the time and frequency of exposure to sad messages. Research shows that exposure to Media coverage after collective trauma Hours a day can cause stress. So check the news a few times a day to stay informed, but don’t keep looking for reports. The news cycle tends to report the same stories without much additional information.
• Choose to deliver the news calmly. The mission of the media is to inform the public about what is happening, but the nature of storytelling can mean that catastrophic news is delivered in a highly emotional way. Reading the news can protect you to some extent from the emotionally charged effects of television or radio coverage. If you choose to listen to television or radio, choose a reporter or anchor who presents information in a fact-based and less emotional way.
• Avoid infinite scrolling. Don’t be tempted to spend hours looking at the same image from different angles. Your emotional pain does not diminish the victim’s pain. I say this because some people may feel that they are being insensitive or ignorant if they do not continue to pay attention to the exposure.
• Don’t ignore or avoid other, more positive news. Continuous exclusive exposure to disaster news can distort your perspective. There’s a lot going on in arts, culture, science, technology and sports around the world that cable news doesn’t cover.
• Know your limits. Some people are more sensitive and easily affected by what they hear or see than others.
• Take time to reflect. When you feel negative impact, anxiety, or sadness, reflect and know that this is a normal human response to the pain of others. Then take a break and engage in activities that fully capture your attention and recharge you emotionally.For me, that outlet is high intensity exercise.
• Talk to other people. If you are affected, you can talk to your loved one and learn from others how they are coping. Seek professional assistance if needed.
• Stay informed and don’t be manipulated. Don’t let your fear and anger be exploited by those who seek to dominate and divide.in the United States, and in many other places in the worldFor a long time, Jews and Muslims have lived together in peace and harmony. Regardless of the context of the tragedy in the news, it is crucial to help children cope with the three R’s of reassurance, routine and supervision.
How to protect children
Children are also frequently exposed to this type of news and images, may have a negative impact on them. For young children, repeated exposure to news or disturbing images may create the illusion that the event is repeating itself or is happening nearby.
Here are some tips for limiting impact on children:
- Be careful not to express excessive negative emotions in front of your children because they know how safe or dangerous the world around them can be to a large extent from adults.
- Limit exposure to children based on their age.
- When children are exposed to scary or disturbing news, talk to them in an age-appropriate way and explain what is happening in understandable language.
- Remind children that they are safe. It may be important for younger children to be reminded that these sad events did not happen where they live.
- Instead of avoiding their questions, use them as Age-appropriate educational opportunities.
- Seek professional assistance if needed.
We adults can also reduce the negative impact on ourselves by helping others, especially those affected by these disasters.
When I am affected by a patient’s traumatic experience, it helps me process my own feelings by remembering that the end goal is to help them and reduce their suffering. Grief, anxiety, anger, and frustration can be channeled into action, such as participating in fundraisers, volunteering to help victims, and convincing politicians to do the right thing. This can even be a family activity that teaches children to respond maturely and selflessly to the pain of others.
This is an updated version First published article April 28, 2022.
This article is reproduced from dialogue Licensed under Creative Commons.read Source article.
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