The Stress of Viewing Graphic Media Content
- Katie Davin
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 18 hours ago
What a world we live in, constantly bombarded with information and recent events through the electronic device we all hold in our hands. Our phones enable us to connect with others, uphold responsibilities, store precious memories, and obtain instant entertainment. They help us stay informed on recent happenings, not only nationally but globally, which empowers us to be committed citizens in our community. The apps on our phones also facilitate the spread of violent, graphic media, leaving us feeling overwhelmed, scared, angry, and often helpless after viewing such content.
This blog post will not be a commentary on the latest events in our nation, nor will it be about strategies to curtail your social media use or media consumption.
I write this post solely to share about how viewing graphic media in excess can affect your nervous system, so that you can check in with yourself and make a prudent choice moving forward.
While the growing body of literature is still actively expanding, research into the health effects of viewing graphic media coverage is not novel. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, researchers sought to reveal how individuals who did not directly witness the traumatic event were impacted [1]. They identified a connection between the hours of television both adults and children viewed and stress reactions reported; adults who reported viewing eight hours or more were more likely to endorse experiencing significant stress. Similar findings were observed in children. Furthermore, longitudinal data collected in another study [2] discovered that individuals who reported viewing four or more hours of televised 9/11-related content daily experienced post-traumatic stress symptoms 2-3 years later as well as other physical health complaints.
As harrowing, collective traumas continue to occur, scholars continue to build evidence that indirect exposure (e.g., live media) to events is detrimental to our psychological health. Following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, Holman and colleagues [3] found that repeated viewing of media content about the event (six or more daily hours in the week after) was correlated with higher acute stress (e.g., restlessness, sleep disturbances, nervousness, heightened startle response, social disconnection, etc.) What’s more surprising is that they discovered higher rates of acute stress in these individuals even when compared to the ones directly exposed.
The investigators also identified vulnerability factors, such that prior direct exposure to community traumas (in the case of this study, the Sandy Hook school shooting or 9/11) were predictors of acute stress reactions among respondents. Namely, having endured trauma of a similar nature might increase the level of distress experienced when exposed to media coverage of traumatic events. While not exclusive to social media, these findings speak volumes and suggest the importance of moderating the rate at which you consume media during the aftermath of traumatic events in the nation.
Cue ‘doomscrolling.’
You’re likely familiar with the term recently added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. If you’re not, doomscrolling is the act of spending an excessive amount of time perusing online news events and/or other content that evokes unpleasant emotions. This behavioral pattern emerged more prominently during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since been associated with various unfavorable outcomes: depression, anxiety, panic, decreased life satisfaction, and existential dread, to name a few [4]. We all feel the effects of spending extensive amounts of time locked in our screens, so why do we do it? While there are many factors that play a role in doomscrolling, it boils down to the way we are hardwired. We seek to know and to understand when the world around us feels threatening and uncontrollable, and gravitate toward negative or novel information. Social media provides a plethora of this kind of content on an endless loop.
Like I tell my clients, your brain's job is to keep you alive, not happy. The way our brains process information and the neural circuitry driving our behavior work together to excel at this and prioritize survival. However, our brains were not prepared for the volume of detail we receive today. Based on current research, it may be worth considering reading about current events rather than watching them. If you opt for social media, whether you are scrolling for fun or to be civically engaged, be intentional and discerning. Know your vulnerabilities and limits, and monitor the frequency of your digital exposure.
If you enjoy nerd-ing out like I do, you can read more about the studies referenced throughout this post below.
References
[1] Schuster, M. A., Stein, B. D., Jaycox, L. H., Wong, M., Adams, S. H., & Fairbank, J. A. (2001). A national survey of stress reactions after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. New England Journal of Medicine, 345(20), 1507-1512.
[2] Silver, R. C., Holman, E. A., Andersen, J. P., Poulin, M., McIntosh, D. N., & Gil-Rivas, V. (2013). Mental- and Physical-Health Effects of Acute Exposure to Media Images of the September 11, 2001, Attacks and the Iraq War. Psychological Science, 24(9), 1623-1634. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976124604
[3] Holman, E. A., Garfin, D. R., & Silver, R. C. (2014). Media’s role in broadcasting acute stress following the Boston Marathon bombings. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 111(1), 93–98. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1316265110
[4] Güme, S. (2024). Doomscrolling: A review. Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar-Current Approaches in Psychiatry, 16(4), 595–603.
Silver, R. C., Holman, E. A., McIntosh, D. N., Poulin, M., & Gil-Rivas, V. (2002). Nationwide longitudinal study of psychological responses to September 11. JAMA, 288(10), 1235–1244. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.10.1235
Katie Davin, LCMHC
Katie is motivated to assist individuals in tackling the obstacles that prevent them from connecting with others and experiencing life in the ways they want to. Katie helps clients achieve this by equipping them with knowledge and strategic, practical skills. Fueled by her love of all things science, Katie’s counseling is greatly informed by current research in the field as well as her own life experiences. She takes an eclectic approach and utilizes a variety of techniques best suited to each client. Ultimately, Katie aspires to make therapy an organic process by cultivating collaboration and acceptance within every session.
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