- In the wake of violent events like mass shootings or natural disasters, people who watch the most media coverage of the story are more likely to show post-traumatic stress symptoms months later, a small U.S. study suggests.
Some previous research suggests that people are drawn to wall-to-wall news coverage of traumatic events as a way to ease their apprehension and cope with stress, the study team notes.Advertisement To understand the connection between stress and being drawn to media coverage of tragedies, researchers surveyed participants four times: shortly after the marathon bombing and nightclub shooting happened; six months later, and after one and three years.
"We do not know how much is too much, but if one feels not comfortable already, it is wise to refrain from further exposure and to speak to someone who can help," Xuan, who wasn't involved in the study, said by email.