The impact of media on your health is absolutely real and can be damaging. Present media forums have now expanded to include social media platforms. These additions have allowed for the endless amount of media content to be streamed 24 hours a day to you. Unfortunately, that has also had an increasingly negative impact on young adults and our younger generations. Children who normally would not be impacted are asking caregivers questions that they should not be worried about. The questions we should be asking include how much coverage is too much and what safeguards are in place to deal with anxiety induced by media?
The Danger
The overconsumption of media can lead to adverse impacts on a person’s mental health and well being. In our current election cycle, the impacts on women of color, and other marginalized communities such as our elders who were undoubtedly impacted by some of the vitriol used. Additionally, an attack on one can feel like an attack on all regardless of any feelings, motivations, or beliefs.
When you examine the impacts particularly on our oldest populations, it is evident that it can lead to a feeling of helplessness. The danger of not feeling represented or heard can cause an increase in negative thoughts and anxiety among our marginalized populations such as our elders. There is no doubt information is valuable, however, an over saturation can cause unnecessary amounts of stress and anxiety that can in turn impact a person’s overall health.
The danger becomes being overly invested in outcomes that are beyond your control. For example, if a preferred outcome does not happen, what are your coping strategies for accepting that reality? What role does the media play in making acceptance more difficult? The answer lies in the fact that the media plays a critical role. While the purpose may be to inform and engage, the over saturation of news can impact anyone, especially our youngest or eldest members of society in an undesirable manner.
It is critical that we demand to receive our news in ways that do not over sensationalize. Outlets should also be held to a standard where they inform but also prepare individuals for the receipt of difficult information. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. An example is how we received our news after the devastating impacts of September 11, 2001. News crawling across our TVs while a live reporter discusses a different issue became the norm during that period. It is presently the gold standard for today.
The issue is often that the news scrawling quickly at the bottom of our screens is even more disturbing than what is being reported out live. There are no filters to process the information and almost no warning prior so that the viewing audience is prepared for the story. This has helped to create a sense of normalizing disturbing news for some while not leaving room for others to be able to consume it while processing it in a healthy way.
The Need
It has been shown as time progresses, more and more people are getting their news through streaming mediums, social media, podcasts, etc. while leaving some traditional programming behind. The fear is that responsible journalism is not necessarily becoming extinct but less appealing. As a result, the normal checks and balances that may have existed to help those vulnerable to unhealthy mental outcomes are almost nonexistent when you view certain social media platforms.
Today’s society desperately needs ways for individuals to be able to stay informed in a healthy way. Turning on the news or scrolling on social media should not need to have viewer warnings, however, we presently need them. Even with those warnings, triggers can still be ignited with repeated imagery of wars, crimes, and excessive violence.
People were horribly disturbed at images from the battle of Mogadishu that inspired the film, Black Hawk Down. I recall the nightly news showing imagery of soldiers bodies being dragged in the streets with little regard to the family of the slain soldier or the viewers who saw this. Another example is the on screen killing of George Floyd. While the impacts of that were undeniable, one can argue that it was not necessarily responsible viewership for those who may be living with a mental health condition.
Until we can come to an agreement on what is acceptable to show and what is not, it is imperative that those who may be dealing with mental health issue stay informed about their triggers. Changing your consumption to simply once or twice a week may be necessary. If you use social media, then dialing back perhaps earlier in the day, not reading comments, and unfollowing certain accounts can lead to a healthier outcome.
The bottom line is, listen to your body and mind. You know your triggers better than anyone. Stay in touch with a healthcare professional, support group, local hospital or clinic and know that you are not alone in your feelings. Be confident in knowing that turning off the news or not engaging in social media can have a positive impact on your emotional well being.
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