Racial Media Violence is Stressful
This month Black America awoke to news of two troubling killings of Black males by-way of police encounters. For most people of color, it becomes increasingly impossible to escape the barrage of news coverage broadcasting the gruesome details of the events that led to the deaths of Alton Sterling and Phinlando Castile. For many, the recurrence of racial tragedies serve as an ever-present reminder of the racial barriers and biases that interpersonally and systemically threaten the lives of African Americans. What’s notable about these reminders of racism is the psychological toll that it takes on its victims both directly and indirectly (e.g., by-way of media coverage). A wealth of empirical evidence demonstrates that experiencing discrimination, especially when chronic, is associated with a myriad of negative physical and mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, traumatic reactions, and even psychosis.
Read more at psychologytoday.com