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Through My Eyes

Through My Eyes

Author: Kasia Yoko
Date: 2023-11-23

Franklin Deleano Roosevelt said, in themidst of the Great Depression, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself." He talked about the importance not only of the classical freedoms (free speech,free press, freedom of assemblage, freedom of religion), but also of freedomfrom fear and from hunger.

Recent world events have been playingout in my brain and while I know how to shut them down; something stronger thanmyself is keeping me connected to the stress and agony of my brothers andsisters in the Middle East - I grieve for humanity and what this violence willdo to the generations coming out of this conflict.

Studiesdone a decade ago, relating to the Boston Marathon bombing in the USA, revealedthat people listening and watching the bombing on their news channels showedsimilar patters in the brain activity of those who were involved in thebombing.

Thearea of the brain that plays a primary role in emotional learning and theacquisition of fear - the amygdala - may hold the key to helping thosesuffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Recentresearch examining 'news seeking' and its emotional relative responses hasfound that more exposure to the latest headlines, whether through traditionalnews outlets or highlighted on social media, damages mental health. One study,which surveyed 2,251 adults in the spring of 2020, found that the morefrequently people pursued information about Covid-19 across various mediums oftelevision, newspapers, and social media, the more likely they were to reportemotional distress.

Anotherstudy showed that while people seek news to educate themselves on theinformation regarding global affairs, overviewing does feel like there islittle one can do; the viewer can develop a feeling of learned helplessness. Itcan be overwhelming.

Theresearch shows a correlation; the study was not designed to assess cause andeffect, however it is possible that those who are emotionally distressed turnto the news to try to alleviate their emotional distress.

Theterm "doomscrolling" came out of the Covid-19 pandemic to illustrate thenegative impact of viewing too much pandemic-related media. The transientfeeling that one has when they are scrolling through the articles produces areal spike in negative distress.

Eventhough we are not being bombed, here in South Africa, our crime rate has goneup by 77% since 2012. This news has certainly disturbed my overall wellbeing.My heart bleeds for everyone affected by crime and the effect it has on thefuture of the generations launching their lives in the backdrop of visiblepoverty, generational discrimination and the prevailing human hatred.

Ipray that all those who are going through a difficult time right now, here inSA as well as the rest of the world, be granted relief from their strife. Maythe evil of the global power hungry megalomaniacs cease to have power over theinnocent and the vulnerable citizens of the world.

Iwish you and yours peace and prosperity in these truly uncertain times.