How can reporters deal with post-traumatic stress?

Posted: 11 October 2009

Region: Worldwide

Journalists around the world that expose violent and tragic events often suffer from post-traumatic stress, marked by symptoms that can include anxiety, nightmares, insomnia and depression.

Often, these journalists remain silent about their condition for fear of being taken off a job or being viewed as less capable than other colleagues. In many societies, mental health issues are viewed as weaknesses and are not publicly discussed.

If you are a journalist who has experienced trauma, what methods do, or did, you use to address your stress? What advice would you give to others in the same situation? What can media outlets do to respond to the needs of journalists who have undergone trauma?