By Colin Rigby

Although most journalists perform professionally under difficult circumstances, they are not immune to being personally affected by events that they report on.  Almost every seasoned journalist would have at least one incident on which they can look back and clearly see the scene, smell the smells and hear the sounds as if it was occurring now.  For journalists, the risk of psychological injury, and in particular, traumatic stress responses, is high.

Organisations such as the DART Centre for Journalism and Trauma – Australasia, which was launched in 2004, have played a valuable role in raising journalists’ awareness of trauma and intervention techniques.  However, the most effective intervention technique is still subject to intense professional discussion.  For example, journalist peer support programs have, in some cases, caused more problems than they solved. 

Traumas often bond people and peer support mentors can sometimes be actively excluded if they were not present at the incident.  Some journalists minimise, avoid participating, act cynically or keep their personal feelings private.  In these circumstances access to a psychologist and not peer support is crucial to reducing the risk of psychological injuries surfacing in the future.  Especially if journalists are working in regional areas or the newsroom is small and there is a strong need for privacy. 

The mandatory nature of some peer support interventions creates difficulties.  Mandatory debriefing within a set period of time is no longer considered effective.  It creates images of peer support programs as trauma vultures descending on journalists, impeding their ability to report or use their own coping strategies.
 
Mandatory programs overlook the presumption of resilience.  Put simply, it is important to incorporate the journalist’s natural coping abilities with the fact they are normal people experiencing a shocking event.  Intervention should provide support, stability and guidance while recognising most journalists have the ability to care for themselves, at least in the short term.
 
Of equal importance is the integration of the support services – psychologist or peer based - into the media organisation.  Best practice is to train newsroom managers to be supportive of their reporters.  They check how a reporter is coping and follow up later to ensure delayed reactions are not overlooked.  A management culture of support and care then makes it acceptable and normal for a journalist to ask for help when it is needed. 

This culture is gaining a foothold in media organisations in Australia as reporters become more aware of the risks of trauma injuries.  Reporting on the War on Terror raised awareness in the newsroom of the increased risk of psychological injuries if appropriate support or training was not offered to journalists travelling to high risk, high threat environments such as Iraq or Afghanistan.  Newsrooms are also more conscious of their obligations under ‘Duty of Care’ and ‘Fitness for Duty’ provisions of Occupational Health and Safety legislation to minimise psychological injuries to journalists and the costs in increased insurance premiums, lost productivity and lower morale if they do not.

The trend is spreading.  Security companies that prepare journalists for working in hostile environments now incorporate psychological components into their training programs.  They use psychologists to provide journalists with enhanced coping skills to boost their resilience, perform better in adverse environments and reduce the chances of psychological injuries. 

Finally, research on Australian journalists suggests there is now a greater willingness on the part of journalists to discuss the impact of traumatic events on their well-being.  This is good news for journalists, their families and their employers.
 
Journalists talking honestly about their reactions with someone who can listen but not judge is very important.  If there is no one to talk to, they should write their thoughts or feelings into a diary.  Writing can help externalise thoughts or feelings that won’t go away and, over time, give the reporter a sense of perspective about how they are dealing with the crisis.

There are other self-care tips worth considering.  Reporters should be open to receiving support and comfort and make time and space for themselves to be alone with their own thoughts and feelings.  But they shouldn’t sit around for too long brooding.  Exercise, rest and recreation are also important.  Don’t try to block out thoughts of the incident or to avoid reminders of it.  Rather, journalists need to think and talk about it.  Confronting the reality, bit by bit, will help them come to terms with the experience.
 
Most reactions are part of the normal recovery process and help a journalist adapt to the trauma.  They can, however, be unpleasant.  Journalists have reported a range of warning signs to look for.  They include feeling fearful all of the time; an inability to sleep despite fatigue; depression more marked than is familiar; poor concentration; irritability; pervasive loss of interest in their work; poor judgement and decision making; over consumption of alcohol and drugs; an inability to forget traumatic scenes; recurrent nightmares or unusually strong reactions to relatively mild stressful events.  Usually reactions will diminish over a period of a few weeks, although some may last for months or even years, especially if the experience was particularly horrific.
 
If the reactions persist for more than four to six weeks then the journalist should seek assistance from a professional psychologist. 

Colin Rigby  was employed as a psychologist by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1993 to 2007.  He provided psychological support services to many Australians living overseas, including journalists affected by trauma, following terrorist attacks or natural disasters.  He was invested in the Order of Australia for his psychological services to Bali bombing victims and their families.  Colin runs People Strategies International, a business consultancy and is currently a consultant psychologist for HART Security.