Arash Javanbakht is an associate professor of psychiatry at Wayne State University. This was first published via The Conversation.
The past few years have been filled with a seemingly endless stream of painful stories and images coming from across the globe, including the loss of more than 3 million people to the pandemic and the widespread trauma inflicted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Now, in late October, the tragic loss of thousands of innocent civilian lives in Israel and Palestine is dominating headlines and consuming the world’s attention. With each passing day of the ongoing war in Gaza and the gruesome news that it brings, many of us find ourselves checking the news the minute we wake up and as the last thing before going to bed.
By now, most of us have seen unforgettable images and videos of dead bodies, burned cars and destroyed blocks of buildings, repeatedly. This exposure is often unintentional. For instance, as we are scrolling through X, Facebook or Instagram posts, we might come across a post conveying a very raw and painful story about the suffering of citizens in Israel and Gaza. The tension and unease have even leaked into the U.S. Jewish and Muslim communities. And in mid-October, a Palestinian child in the U.S. was stabbed 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 work, I hear detailed stories of suffering from my patients that are painful to be privy to and that can have a negative impact on me and my colleagues.
Through these experiences and my training, I have learned ways to protect myself from too much emotional impact, while staying informed and helping my patients. In my recent book, “Afraid: Understanding the Purpose of Fear and Harnessing the Power of Anxiety,” I have explained in detail how media and politics have heightened our anxieties and have outlined ways we can reduce the impact.
How images of disaster affect us
A wide body of evidence has shown that trauma affects not only those who suffer through it; it also affects other people who are exposed to the suffering in other ways. This happens, in part, because humans are empathetic and social beings. Indirect and vicarious exposure to trauma often occurs in the lives of first responders, refugees, journalists and others, even when they do not directly experience the trauma themselves.
One means of exposure is through the news, especially when it is visual, animated and highly relatable. Previous studies have shown that exposure to news of terrorist attacks, such as 9/11, could cause a wide range of emotional reactions, from symptoms of PTSD to depression and anxiety, in both adults and children.
Another risk of continual exposure to horrible images is desensitization and numbing. This means some viewers might get too used to such images, seeing them as a new normal and being undisturbed by them. The brutal deaths of thousands more people become just statistics to them.
How to protect yourself
Here are some practical tips on how to stay informed, while minimizing harm:
How to protect children
Children also often get exposed to such news and images, which could have negative effects on them. For younger children, repeated exposure to the news or to disturbing images might create an illusion that the event keeps repeating or that they are happening nearby.
Here are some tips for limiting the impact on children:
We grown-ups can also reduce the negative impact on ourselves through helping others, especially those affected by these calamities.
When I feel affected by the traumatic experiences of my patients, remembering that the goal is helping them and reducing their suffering helps me process my feelings. Sadness, anxiety, anger and frustration can be channeled into actions such as contributing to fundraising activities, volunteering to help the victims and activism to persuade politicians to do what is right. This can even be a family activity that teaches children a mature and altruistic response to others’ suffering.
Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article that was first published April 28, 2022.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.