MENTAL health experts have urged media employers to provide periodic training and counselling support for their staff, including journalists covering crime, disaster and trauma-related beats.
The founder of Secure-D-Future International Initiative (SDF), Sa’adatu Adamu, a doctor, and a technical assistant on the Benue State Government’s Safe Schools project, Tersoo Shaapera, a doctor, made the appeal during an X space titled: Mental Health for Media Professionals organised by The FactCheckHub on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
They also called on media employees to prioritise self-care, stressing its importance in managing digital overload and preventing burnout, especially among journalists.
They further highlighted the importance of taking regular breaks at work, delegating tasks when necessary, and seeking mental health support.
These strategies are crucial for maintaining workers’ well-being in a profession often marked by high stress and constant information flow, they further explained.
Shaapera, a clinical and forensic psychologist, noted that media professionals frequently face difficulties in holding people to account. Much of their work, he highlighted, revolves around uncovering the truth, which could add to the emotional stress they experience.
“The job of media professionals is always traumatic. There are traumatic issues surrounding the media profession. And when you delve into it, sometimes you realise that the female folks among them are much more vulnerable.
“The fact remains that when it comes to issues of accountability, it is always very difficult for those (journalists) that are out there to hold people accountable, as most of what the media professionals do is to try to uncover the truth,” Shaapera stated.
Also speaking on how to manage digital overload, Adamu emphasised the importance of journalists recognising that mental health issues could affect anyone, regardless of their profession or job demands.
She said, “It is important that journalists understand that mental health doesn’t care about your profession, what you’re expected to do, or how far you should do it, and all that. It can affect anybody.”
She further highlighted the risk of burnout and secondary trauma that journalists might face due to pressures associated with their work.
To address the stigma associated with mental health among media workers, she noted that it’s essential that media practitioners feel comfortable in seeking help without fear of discrimination or judgement.
The experts noted that many journalists avoid mental health care due to concerns about being stigmatised or seen as weak. “This reluctance can exacerbate the mental strain they already face, leading to more severe issues such as anxiety, depression, and burnout,” they said.
One of the key solutions they proposed was creating a supportive work environment where practitioners could openly discuss mental health challenges.
They also urged media organisations to implement mental health awareness programmes, offer regular access to counselling, and promote self-care as part of their work culture.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org