In light of the horrific events that unfolded at the Boston Marathon on Monday, Apr. 15, it is important to not only understand how those directly affected are coping with the trauma, but also those who are vicarious witnesses through media sources. Millions of people across the country and globe have watched the news reports, viewed the heart-wrenching pictures, and heard first-person accounts of the moment those bombs exploded.
It is unlikely that these second-hand witnesses are left unaffected by the tragedy and the mental health consequences of vicarious trauma need to be explored. Especially in an era when the media is ever-present in all facets of our lives, the effect that it has on our emotional state is tremendous and widespread.
This vicarious trauma elicits peritraumatic reactions in individuals who are exposed to media images and reports, causing psychological reactions and sleep disturbance in the weeks following exposure. However, an article that came out last fall concerning the March 2011 Japanese earthquake found that non-Japanese adults in different countries experienced vicarious trauma that led to disordered eating.
Specifically, the researchers surveyed 700 adults from France, Canada, and the USA asking questions about their time spent watching TV or reading internet content related to the earthquake. Then, they were asked about their level of sleep disturbance and also eating attitudes and disordered eating two weeks after the earthquake, as well as a follow-up at two months. They found that participants’ disordered eating scores correlated with their exposure to both TV and internet news. Another analysis showed that media exposure was a significant predictor of disordered eating, especially dieting.
We are as yet unsure of all the psychological and emotional shock waves that the bombing at the Boston Marathon will have upon those who suffered. In either case, it is important to understand that the suffering is not limited only to those primarily affected and that the impact can be broader geographically and emotionally than we might think.
Credit : Dr. Hrishikesh D Pai (IVF Specialist- 32 Years of Experience)
