newsrooms Urged to Prioritize Journalist Mental Health Amid Rising Trauma
LONDON – A growing body of research highlights the critically importent psychological toll exacted on journalists, with experts now calling for widespread implementation of mental health support within news organizations. Dr.Anthony Feinstein, aโฃ leading โresearcherโค in the โขfield, warns that exposure to traumatic events can lead to “moral injury” – โฃa distress โstemming fromโ witnessing or participating in events that violate deeply held moralโ beliefs – manifesting as guilt,โค anger, and cynicism.
“It can make journalists question โคthe purpose of their work and step back from their profession. Left unaddressed, it becomes a pathway toโ PTSD, depression,โค or substance abuse,” Feinstein explained.
With “no measure to protect against/prevent moral injury,”โ Feinsteinโ strongly advocates for early intervention, regular โคpsychological checkups, โคand education to support journalists’ mental health. Hisโข coreโค message:โค Normalise it. Remind people of the dangers, โคand educate them towards therapy and support.
Further studies reveal emerging โฃchallenges,including the impact of online harassment and specific risks faced by climate journalists. Feinstein notes that over 40 journalists have been killed in the โฃlast 15 years,โข often targeted by powerful corporations or state โขactors, with many more experiencing harassment โฃor โlegal threats.
Despite these concerns, Feinstein emphasizes that “most journalists are resilient and mental health conditions like PTSDโค and depression are treatable.” Research during the pandemic demonstrated that newsrooms offering professional support experienced lower levels of anxiety andโ depression among staff. (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351760991_Covering_COVID_Journalists’_Stress_and_Perceived_Organizational_Support_While_Reporting_on_the_Pandemic)
feinsteinโ stresses that struggling journalists require empathy, confidentiality, and โคprofessional care, asserting that “Every newsroom has a moral obligation to make this support available.” He outlines four practical steps โfor news organizations:
1 Organise โeducation sessions for journalists and editors about the psychologicalโ risks of their work and available support.
2 Implement a โsystem for confidential, easy-to-access, and stigma-free mental health โคcheck-ins before, during, and after covering arduous stories.
3 Encourage annual mental health check-ins, โฃas routinely as one would for physical health.
4 Train news managers – the “first responders” of the newsroom – to recognize and respondโฃ empathetically to distress.
