The mental health of journalists is overlooked…despite the accumulation of disasters and wars

Amid these circumstances, many may believe that addressing the issue of mental health is not a priority at all, especially after the recent killing of a large number of male and female journalists, during the war in Gaza, and the clashes on the Lebanese border with Palestine. However, it is no longer possible to deny the impact of their work on their psychological health, which naturally affects their physical health and the extent of their productivity, because their work while covering wars, crises, and disasters requires physical and psychological effort from them.

While viewers feel psychological pressure, anxiety, and fear from simply watching the news, we must wonder about the feelings of those who report that news and deal with it on a daily basis. The psychologist and social activist, Warda Bou Daher, confirmed in an interview with Al-Modon that “attention and attention to the physiological condition of journalists is essential, but on the other hand, their psychological health cannot be underestimated because it gives them the strength to be able to perform their journalistic duties to the fullest extent, especially in light of disasters.” And ongoing wars and crises.”

Journalists are often present in the field or in newsrooms, and in both cases they are the first to receive harsh, painful and harmful images, and the first to deal with them. Therefore, they have difficulty maintaining their psychological and mental balance. It may often be difficult for them not to deal personally and humanely with the story they are covering, especially if they are not trained to reconcile their humanity with a psychological safety distance that protects them.

The World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of psychological well-being that enables a person to cope with the stresses of life, achieve his or her potential, learn and work well, and contribute to his local community. Bou Daher explained, “Journalists are human beings who are affected, like us, by news and the psychological and nervous pressure it causes. In addition, they are often forced to put themselves in danger to cover the news and convey it to viewers, which is a very difficult and psychologically exhausting matter.”

Bou Daher pointed out, “Before talking about the impact of news coverage on journalists, it is important to clarify the reasons for the negative impact, which stems primarily from their fear for their physical health because it is in real danger, and fear for their family and surroundings. They are exposed to constant anxiety and fear of the idea of ​​the impact of their work on Their families,” adding, “The psychological pressure that journalists face is due to the events that occur around us in most countries. They suffer from economic crises like us, and are tired of their repercussions on their private lives and their journalistic work.”

Bou Daher explained, “The most prominent things that journalists suffer from because of their work are post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, psychological pressure, and the repercussions of their exposure to fear and trauma.”

Despite the increasing importance of the mental health of male and female journalists, in reality, especially in Arab countries, it does not receive the attention of media institutions. It does not provide them with counseling or psychological services, nor does it train them to deal with news of violence, wars, and disasters.

The most important advice that Bou Daher gave to journalists in this context is to “create balance,” adding that “the most important and first step that must be taken is to follow up with a psychological therapist, because psychological treatment is essential for every journalist in general, and for those working during wars, crises, and disasters, in particular.” She added, “It is very necessary for journalists to try to separate their lives and their work as much as possible. Despite the difficulty of this, it is very important for journalists to know that this is their mission and they are carrying it out to the fullest, and therefore they need a break so that they can give their work its due due, because caring for themselves Their health enables them to perform their work duties.”

The fact is that the mission of journalists stems from a primarily humanitarian profession, whose goal is to convey people’s voices and problems. Therefore, it may be difficult for them not to become humanly involved in the story they cover and interact with it, which may lead to them feeling frustrated or guilty towards the victims or survivors because they were not able to help them more. .

This problem has always been present in the media field: “When does a journalist’s job end? Should he only report the news? Should he interact with it? Is it wrong to try to help victims and survivors or find a solution to their problems? Is his work limited to reporting the story or expanded into trying to Improving the community and what is happening around it?

In any case, and whatever the answer, what is certain is that journalism is one of the professions that can have a negative impact on the mental health of those who practice it in all countries. But the difference between the countries of the region and Western countries, for example, lies in society’s fundamental view of the issue of mental health and psychotherapy as something normal and necessary to complete life in a balanced manner.