Here\u2019s how all this trauma affects us \u2015 and what to do when everything feels like a bit too much.<\/p>\n
Your body doesn\u2019t know the difference between trauma on a screen versus in real life.<\/p>\n
When you see a threat, your body\u2019s stress response \u2014 aka the fight or flight system \u2014 turns on. Your adrenal glands release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, your heart rate quickens, your blood pressure rises, and blood flow is directed to your muscles to help you either fight the threat or flee, according to Lurie.<\/p>\n
At the same time, the amygdala<\/a> \u2014 nicknamed the brain\u2019s alarm system \u2014 becomes hyperactive and starts scanning your environment for more danger. \u201cAll of this is happening because our nervous system is trying to protect us from what it perceives as a real and immediate threat,\u201d said Lurie.<\/p>\n Your body will mount this physiological response regardless of whether you witness the threat in real life or through a screen. As Lurie said, \u201cour brains don\u2019t really distinguish between something happening to us directly versus something we\u2019re watching happen to someone else.\u201d To our brains, a threat is a threat.<\/p>\n Humans are also social, empathetic creatures. \u201cThe same mechanisms that help us connect … make us feel as though we are experiencing what we are watching,\u201d Lurie explained.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t help that the news disproportionately focuses on negative events, as a study<\/a> from 2024 described. The media uses compelling imagery, urgent language and nonstop updates to keep us engaged and scrolling, Lurie said.<\/p>\n The key issue when consuming media covering traumatic events is that we can\u2019t actually do anything to resolve the threat, she adds. So, we keep watching and thinking about it. \u201cWe\u2019re just left activated with nowhere for that energy to go. And our body is convinced that we are in danger, even when we are safe and sitting in a comfortable environment,\u201d Lurie said.<\/p>\n Fiordaliso via Getty Images<\/p>\n Are you feeling the effects of “national trauma”? If you’re doomscrolling, the answer is likely “yes.”<\/p>\n This kind of trauma can show up in your body.<\/p>\n Witnessing a trauma \u2014 and especially repeated traumas \u2014 can tax both your physical and mental health. People commonly feel fatigued and worn down even if they haven\u2019t done anything physically demanding, according to Lurie. Some people develop headaches, muscle tension and digestive problems. <\/p>\n If your stress response remains activated, your creativity, patience and ability to focus plummet, said Jenny Shields, a clinical health psychologist at Shields Psychology & Consulting<\/a>. Mood shifts may become more common, along with irritability and sudden tears, she added.<\/p>\n Over time, media overload<\/a> can lead to anxiety, depression, hopelessness, and post-traumatic stress symptoms<\/a>, including nightmares, emotional numbness and intrusive thoughts. As a result, people may avoid the news altogether or wind up constantly checking for updates. <\/p>\n \u201cThis can make it difficult to complete assignments at work, and relationships suffer because you\u2019re emotionally unavailable or more reactive than usual,\u201d Lurie said.<\/p>\n![\"Are](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/68cc1e2e18000053ab5cf87e.jpeg\")
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