In the week following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I have seen and heard from a growing number of fellow journalists grappling with the effects of remote conflict and news coverage.
This is different from the experience of those on the ground, of course, who face direct threats to their physical, psychological and digital safety, but the potential for vicarious trauma is significant.
After two exhausting and unprecedented years of a global pandemic, during which many of us have experienced anxiety, uncertainty, personal and professional strains, it is important to know how to manage our mental health, even when we are physically far from a rapidly changing and traumatic story.
Vicarious trauma is the idea that people can be affected by experiences to which they are not directly exposed. I remember working in a London newsroom in 2003 during the US invasion of Iraq and being invited to watch the agency’s live broadcast on the bombardment of Baghdad. I was 25, less than five years into my career.
On that night in March, no seasoned journalist warned me of the horrors I was about to see, nor advised me to limit my exposure, lower the volume of the video and take regular breaks. No one offered to speak with me afterwards or warned me of the nightmares I was about to have, or that the only way to briefly forget what I had heard and seen was to water until oblivion. I know these reactions were my way of coping with vicarious trauma and I wish I had been better prepared to deal with my mental health.
Exposure to such images does not automatically mean that we will develop vicarious trauma. We may react with anger or sadness in the moment, but it’s important to recognize the potential for a longer-term impact on our well-being.
It wasn’t until nearly a decade after my experiences that the term vicarious trauma began to be used in newsrooms. As the growth of social media coincided with revolutions across the Arab world and the rise of the Islamic State, this meant that anyone with access to a smartphone could upload high-quality images online, no matter either graphic or authentic.
It’s not just viewing images that can affect us. Hearing the stories of people affected by trauma can also be distressing. The past two years have taken their toll on many journalists, for whom empathy is both a trait that allows them to bring humanity to their work and one that means they can be more sensitive to trauma. indirect.
The global health crisis has not only exacerbated the volume of news and noise, but being hyper-connected to the biggest news story in living memory, often working from home where our personal and professional lives intertwine, has put additional pressure on our ability to process what we experience secondhand.
So what can we concretely do to protect our mental health, in the face of secondary trauma, while trying to cope with the pressures of the pandemic?
The following advice is drawn from my years of work in media safety and mental health, although it is important to note that I am a journalist and not a clinician.
Practical advice
- Graphic images have often been called radioactive. This means that it is important to limit our exposure to these as we would to toxic materials, in terms of the time we spend looking at them.
- We can also mitigate the impact of violence and trauma videos by turning off the sound on our first viewing, minimizing the screen, focusing on a specific (less graphic) frame, and avoiding looping frames. .
- Prioritizing overall well-being in times of heightened stress is vital: we can make sure we take breaks, stay hydrated and eat well. Try to avoid viewing such images close to bedtime and, if possible, ensure that they are not seen in the same place where we sleep.
- If we are managers, we can make sure that we talk with our colleagues about our expectations: explain in advance that what they see may be difficult, remind them to limit their exposure, check in with them afterwards, thank them for doing the job and don’t ask them to do anything we wouldn’t do. We should also be aware of factors that could make some people more vulnerable to viewing this material.
- Validating and acknowledging our responsibilities and roles as journalists can give us a sense of agency and responsibility and help us manage our mental health. This can help combat feelings of guilt related to reporting from a ‘safe distance’ or feelings of being helpless and wanting to ‘do more to help’.
- We can become more aware of our reactions. When I feel trauma or trigger trauma, my hands sweat, my heart and breathing quicken, and so does my speech if I speak. Recognizing my body’s normal response to an abnormal experience is helpful.
- Recognition, in turn, allows us to react and regulate ourselves: I try to step away from my computer and shut it down, focus on my breathing, take a break, while walking or doing exercise. exercise outside if possible. If I have to stay at my desk, I try to do a grounding exercise, focusing on awareness of my body and surroundings, what I can see, hear and touch, etc. Sometimes I write my experiences in a notebook.
- The pandemic has reduced our ability to be spontaneous and to communicate with our colleagues. But connecting with people we trust is important when we’ve been through something difficult, so we should try to have a network of peers to connect with for support and solidarity. Often it’s just a phone call away and it doesn’t have to be whoever is with you in the newsroom.
- In times of news and uncertainty, many of us tend to spend a lot of time online, especially since we often worry about missing out on a great story. We can’t be on call all the time. Giving ourselves permission to turn off, silence certain notifications, or delete certain apps can help us rest, recalibrate, and return to work better able to do our journalism.
- Remote work has blurred the lines between our professional and personal lives. In times of heightened stress, it’s important to do something intentional to bridge our work and personal lives. It could be creating an artificial commute, having a ritual that marks the end of the workday, like making a cup of tea, changing some clothes, or turning off your laptop.
- When we face times of uncertainty, it is important to recognize what we can and cannot control and to practice activities that give us agency. So while we cannot control the conflicts or content of graphic images, we can control how and when we see them and mitigate the impacts in terms of how we respond to them and how we then interact with those around us. We can’t expect family and co-workers to guess us. Trying to communicate in simple terms our expectations and availability can be useful.
- Sometimes our reactions are delayed and it’s important to recognize when we might need extra help. Signs to look out for may include feelings of hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, feelings of anger, guilt and fatigue, difficulty sleeping or, conversely, being more active than usual. Know that these reactions are our body’s way of coping with an emotional burden, and that we are not responsible for this: it is important to ask for and accept help.
Hannah Storm is a media consultant specializing in journalism safety, crisis management, and effective and empathetic leadership. She is the founder and co-director of Headlines Network, a community created to promote more open conversations about mental health in the media.
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