Secondary Traumatic Stress: Why Negative News Cycles Can Be So Triggering
Today’s news headlines are rife with constant coverage of gun violence, hate crimes, assault, the fallout from a global pandemic, worsening natural disasters, and war. These events are undoubtedly traumatic for people directly affected by them. But just hearing about devastating news — even if it didn’t happen to you — can trigger a trauma response known as secondary traumatic stress.
“Psychological science suggests that these shocking events lead to post-traumatic distress among victims and bystanders, and are triggers for those who have experienced similar violent events,” Dr. Bryant said.
Secondary Traumatic Stress, Defined
The news could also trigger a trauma response in someone who has personally experienced a similar traumatic event. “For those with a previous trauma history, witnessing violence [or another type of trauma] on TV can bring back memories and reactions of their own trauma, particularly if that trauma was closely related,” says Gerard Lawson, PhD, a licensed professional counselor and interim director of the school of education at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Dr. Lawson helped coordinate a counseling response to the April 2007 mass shooting at Virginia Tech.
Having a secondary traumatic stress response to news is also common when it comes to identity-based hate crimes, such as the anti-Black, racist mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, in May 2022, says Janelle S. Peifer, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychology at the University of Richmond in Virginia, who conducts research on the intersection of trauma and identity.
Watching news like this unfold can have a significant impact on people with the same race or ethnicity, even if they don’t personally know the people who were attacked.
A secondary trauma response can also be worse if you personally identify with the victim, adds Dr. Peifer. “The coverage of George Floyd's killing was particularly traumatizing for Black men and Black people in general,” Peifer notes as an example.
Symptoms of Secondary Traumatic Stress
- Becoming emotionally exhausted
- Developing anxiety or depression
- Feeling hopeless
- Having an increasingly negative self-image
- Having trouble eating or sleeping
How Can You Balance Staying Informed and Not Becoming Too Distressed?
What can you do if you’re experiencing secondary traumatic stress from the news? While it’s important to be informed about what’s happening in the world, it’s also crucial to prioritize your well-being.
Here’s how experts say you can do both:
1. Limit Your Social Media Use
Gone are the days of keeping up with the news solely through newspapers and TV reports, consumed at specific times of the day. Today, many of us are consuming information (and news) via social media frequently over the course of a day. And this type of continuous use can be overwhelming if it’s flooding us with nonstop traumatic headlines.
Sometimes social media posts offer more graphic news material or raw detail than you might read in a news article — or that you might need to stay informed, explains Lawson. Traditional media outlets may be more likely to deliver news in a more sensitive way that’s potentially less triggering to viewers, he says.
2. Take Frequent Breaks From Watching or Reading the News
It may also help to take breaks and turn off the news when following coverage of traumatic events, adds Lawson.
“I think it is important to set and keep to a limit on how much time you will spend consuming this news, like 10 to 20 minutes,” Lawson advises. “It is easy to follow one story into the next, and soon you have spent hours immersed in the traumatic material, which can contribute to the vicarious [or secondary] trauma.”
Peifer agrees, adding that while research has traditionally focused on those who’ve directly experienced or witnessed traumatic events, people are increasingly reporting trauma responses just from seeing or hearing the news, due to greater access to traumatic material 24/7 across news, social media, and other platforms.
“For example, with the news coverage around the Uvalde school shooting, clients have noted changes in hypervigilance, rumination, worry about sending their child to school, nightmares, and many symptoms,” Peifer explains.
3. Tune In to How Your Mind and Body Feel During a Newscast
Be sure to pay attention to any thoughts and physical sensations you’re having — such as sweating or a rapid heartbeat, for instance — during a continuous news cycle, says Lawson.
If you’re experiencing intense anxiety and sadness or feeling overwhelmed, it may signal that it’s time for you to take a break and take care of yourself, whether it be through talking to a loved one about what you’re feeling, listening to calming music, or going for a nature walk. Any activity that brings you joy and helps you feel well enough to go about your daily life counts as self-care.
Follow the "Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others" philosophy, says Lawson. “The same concept applies here,” she says. If you’re experiencing debilitating secondary trauma due to news coverage, it’s going to be challenging to properly take care of yourself or others around you.
4. Channel Your Emotion Into Action
If you feel up to it, Lawson adds, you could channel your anger, sadness, or any other emotion you’re feeling into action for change, such as writing to your senators and representatives in Congress about your support for legislation to help prevent certain traumatic events such as gun violence or hate crimes from repeating.
5. Seek Professional Help if You Need It
- Appetite changes
- Energy or activity level changes
- Experiencing headaches, stomach aches, body pains, and skin rashes
- Feeling angry, sad, fearful, worried, frustrated, or numb
- Having trouble concentrating and making decisions
- Having trouble sleeping or nightmares
- Increasing your use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs
- Worsening of chronic health issues
The Takeaway
- You may experience a trauma response known as secondary traumatic stress after hearing about devastating news, even if you’re not directly involved in a traumatic event.
- Secondary traumatic stress can be more common if you identify with the victims or have a personal history of trauma.
- There are steps you can take to protect your mental health during these moments, from limiting media consumption to seeking professional help if you’re feeling emotionally overwhelmed or having difficulty carrying on with your daily life.
Seth Gillihan, PhD
Medical Reviewer
Julia Métraux
Author
Julia Métraux is a journalist whose work touches on disability, mental health, and chronic illness. She went to the University of California in Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Métraux lives with vasculitis, a traumatic brain injury, and hearing loss.
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