Journalists and PTSD
PTSD in Journalists: The Unique Pressures and How to Get Help Journalists face a higher risk of post-traumatic stress disorder than most people realise. It is not only war correspondents who are affected. Investigative journalists covering abuse, corruption, organised crime, or systemic failure can also be repeatedly exposed to trauma. The harm does not always come from witnessing violence directly. It can build up from reviewing distressing material, hearing survivor accounts, enduring threats, or being targeted for your work. Common PTSD symptoms in journalists include: 1. Re-experiencing Flashbacks, nightmares, and vivid mental images of traumatic events or details. 2. Hyperarousal Constantly being on edge, startling easily, feeling irritable, or struggling to relax. 3. Avoidance and numbing Pulling away from friends and family, avoiding certain assignments or locations, feeling emotionally shut down. 4. Reintegration problems Difficulty shifting from intense investigativ...