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(Trends Wide) — Video of the violent arrest of Tire Nichols, which authorities said they will release Friday, is expected to be hard to watch, but it can also be hard to avoid. Some people might even feel compelled to view it as a way to pay tribute to Nichols, who died three days after the confrontation with the cops.
Psychologists say the best approach to mental health care is to know your limits, and possibly avoid watching the video altogether.
David Rausch, chief of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, said he was “disgusted” by what was found during the investigation into the 29-year-old father’s encounter with Memphis police. Five Memphis officers were fired for violating policies on excessive use of force, duty to intervene and duty to assist, the department said. They have also been indicted on charges including manslaughter and aggravated assault.
Video may seem unavoidable online and on social media, but you may need to avoid it for your own mental health, said Dr. Riana Elyse Anderson, an assistant professor in the College’s Department of Health Behavior and Health Education. of Health Sciences at the University of Michigan. Public Health, who is an expert in racial discrimination and psychological outcomes.
“We have a decision about what we consume. These videos never help us understand why these things happen,” Anderson said.
Humans are drawn to violence, he said, and some people may even think that by watching the video, they will see something that will explain the behavior.
“But there’s never a good explanation here,” Anderson said.
Research shows that frequent exposure to violent news can cause negative stress reactions. Even witnessing violence can increase a person’s feelings of anxiety and fear, and in some cases lead to post-traumatic stress disorder.
It’s important to testify and acknowledge what happened, but that doesn’t mean you have to watch the video itself, Anderson said.
“We can raise the name of the person, the hashtag, organize ideas. This ensures that we remember that name, that we are calling that person’s name, and that there are ways to lift the spirit, the name, the incident without sharing the trauma,” he said.
Dr. Monnica Williams, a clinical psychologist and an expert in racial trauma, law enforcement, and community trauma, agreed that not everyone needs to watch a violent video.
“We can read a description of the events. We live in a violent culture, and presenting these clips as entertainment only makes us more violent. I don’t think the solution is ‘let’s all look and gawk and fan our outrage’. We are outraged enough without the added trauma of burning these images into our minds,” she said.
“You have to think about the cost of this to your humanity,” Williams said. “I really advise against it, because I don’t think this really gives dignity to the person who is deceased.”
Dr. Erlanger Turner, a psychologist and assistant professor of psychology at Pepperdine University, said it’s good to do a self-assessment before watching those videos.
“I often tell people to get to know themselves before consuming the content, because everyone responds to these kinds of images differently,” said Turner, who is an expert on the effects of witnessing police violence online. and in the perception of police bias in communities of color. “Some people can see it and they can be pretty good. Other people, it could trigger some really strong emotions.”
“If you decide to watch the video, be prepared to be stressed and take care of yourself,” he added.
To help manage that stress, have a support system of people you can talk to so you can process the events. Or consider activism as a way to channel that energy in a way that can make a difference.
However, activism itself can also bring exposure to another level of violence and potential trauma, so Turner says it’s important to do something enjoyable that can give you a break, like dancing, listening to music, or being part of a religious community. or spiritual.
“Don’t keep those emotions inside,” he said. Therapy can be a good place to process difficult events.
Si necesitas buscar ayuda, considera recursos como Project LETS Resources on Race and Mental Health, Center for Healing Racial Trauma and Mental Health America.
Parents and other caregivers may need to prepare for your questions.
Parents should try to anticipate their children’s response to seeing or hearing about the video and how to talk about it, Turner said.
Will the child fall asleep after seeing so many violent images? Will they be upset? Will they be afraid for their parents or for themselves?
“Make sure you can support and comfort them,” he said.
Anderson said it’s important to talk to children of all ages.
“It’s up to the parents, as they would with any other topic, to make the conversation appropriate for the children’s moment,” she said.
Parents should check their own emotions to make sure they’re in a good place, Turner added, because it’s an opportunity to have a productive conversation.
“It can be hard to comfort them in this type of situation, but you don’t want to have this conversation and then not give them hope or some encouragement that things can change,” he said. “We can still do some work around these issues.”
