JOURNALISTS are usually in the forefront of writing about a myriad of issues and rarely spend time checking whether they are having mental health issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
They cover various issues ranging from accident scenes, corpses, riots, political rallies in most cases surrounded by political cadres who verbally abuse them and many other sensitive issues.
Under normal circumstances, most journalists that cover traumatizing issues rarely seek counselling or help to enable them to lead sane lives.
Mental health issues are real and can affect anyone including journalists.
The World Health Organization (WHO) conceptualizes mental health as a ‘state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.’
WHO further defines mental disorder as a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour.
As we mark mental health day tomorrow (October 10, 2024), I thought of sharing this write up and highlight some of the major challenges modern day journalists are facing.
According to Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA) Chief Executive Officer Aghan Daniel, journalists are overworked and they are not usually considered when it comes to issues of psycho-social support.
Mr Daniel said journalists see what is not imaginable and they also have the pressure to deliver and sometimes they work in environments where they are paid meagre salaries and yet too much is demanded from them.
“These are the journalists who cover very bad images, a fire has broken out, people are burnt beyond recognition, and they go to cover the poor of the poor. They cover events that sometimes make them shed tears. Sometimes, journalists have a lot of pressure from their editors. Some editors demand sex, others demand money from these journalists,’’ Mr Daniel said.
He said Editors in these media houses are also at high risk of having mental stress issues because they are stressed as they edit copy from various journalists under them, struggle to identify the lead stories, push journalists to find lead stories and come up with headlines for various stories.
Mr Daniel said the journalists are also human beings who do things like any other person, are also in relationships and when they are abandoned by a partner, some lose it
Mr Daniel highlighted that other challenges that are affecting most journalists mentally is the issue of fame.
“Others want to be known and would thus do anything to gain that fame. Other factors contributing to mental health issues among most African journalists are failure to pay rentals . Others end up in abusive relationships because they are desperate to have money to sustain them,’’ Mr Daniel said.
He said MESHA has been emphasizing to journalists never to touch anyone’s money if the story from the event they are to cover does not conform to the ethical guidelines.
Going forward, MESHA is in talks with some of its partners to have a special psycho social support emergency programme to help journalists have access to psycho social support.
MESHA also has plans to introduce a toll free line where the journalists can easily access psycho mental counselling.
University Teaching Hospital (UTH) Neuro Psychologist working from clinic six at UTH, Monica Chirwa who is also a part time lecturer said, she has specialized in suicide research and has helped many victims of depression, stress and mental health as a whole.
Mrs Chirwa said mental disorder is usually as a result of depression that can come about due to un employment, lack of proper rest, financial stress, lack of strong family bond anxiety and failure to achieve something or meeting certain goals in life or at work.
She said signs of depression are isolation, bipolar kind of behaviors, failure to sleep and time management among other signs.
She said depression would result in suicidal ideation or mental issues and that the solution to this challenge is to seek help or counselling.
“When you have any of the mentioned symptoms, seek help. The challenge we have is that some people are introverts and avoid seeking help,’’ he said.
She has advised any person that is having any problem or challenge to accept the situation even before they seek help.
Mrs Chirwa said it is also important for people to remain assertive regardless of what is before them.One of the concerns Mrs Chirwa talked about is that some of the mental stresses people are undergoing are self-made because of failure to control their environments and emotions.
She said, while it is important for people to work hard to access things they want, she said it is also important for them to realise that it is not possible for human beings to have equal success and wealth.Mrs Chirwa explained that different circumstances might contribute to what we are going through and this is the reason we need to avoid certain situations.
“You need to learn to say no to things that you cannot do or afford. Lead a simple life. You also need to accept what is before you. But never lose focus,’’ Ms Chirwa advised.
She said she has helped many people that were considering suicide and have since realized the worth of life.
Mrs Chirwa said journalists are like any other person and also require counselling to avoid mental health issues.“We identify the problem, treat and give advice at the same time. When you come to us, we treat everything as confidential,’’ she said.
She said many mental health patients in most health facilities across Zambia should not have been admitted if they sought help earlier.
“Most of the patients we have today with mental health issues had a myriad of problems that if shared would have been resolved. Instead, most people resort to alcohol abuse and drug abuse instead of seeking therapy,’’ she said
