Israel attack: How to help young people cope with graphic images on social media
Global News
In the midst of the ongoing international crisis in the Middle East psychologists caution about the toll these graphic visuals can take on a child's well-being.
In the midst of the ongoing international crisis in the Middle East, where images and videos circulating on social media show graphic violence and deadly missile attacks from both Hamas and the Israeli military, psychologists caution about the toll these graphic visuals can take on a child’s well-being.
Militant group Hamas stormed into Israel on Saturday, firing rockets, gunning down civilians and kidnapping others in the country. Israel retaliated with airstrikes on Gaza.
As the conflict rages on, the death toll has hit at least 1,900 as of Tuesday, and disturbing images of abducted, injured, and deceased civilians continue to spread on social media platforms like TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
“One of the things that we’re constantly searching for is a sense of safety. And when we see this happening in another part of the world, it can interfere with our own sense of safety,” explained Dr. Taslim Alani-Verjee, a clinical and counselling psychologist with Silm Centre for Mental Health in Toronto.
“The bombarding of images and messages can be overwhelming, it can contribute to a sense of unsafety and also a sense of uncertainty which can bring about feelings of anxiety and fear.”
Although the effects of the conflict in Israel are far-reaching, with images broadcast on screens and shared on social media, parents can help their children make sense of the potentially graphic and upsetting images they may be seeing.
Dr. Katy Kamkar, a clinical psychologist based in Toronto, said as Tuesday marks World Mental Health Day, it’s that much more important for people to understand the impact these images have on us, and to better equip ourselves with strategies.
“The constant exposure to violent and disturbing news can have a significant impact on our mental health,” she said, saying it can impact concentration, sleep and emotional distress.