Since officials in Memphis, Tennessee, revealed, last Friday, a video showing the severe beating of an African-American youth, Tyre Nichols, by police officers, before he died later, the clip spread widely, which made psychologists launch calls. For not watching it “for the sake of mental health.”
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation chief David Rausch himself said he was “sickened” by what he saw during his investigation into the murder of Nichols, 29, the father of a four-year-old.
As for ordinary individuals, psychologists believe that there is no need to watch the video in the first place, or at least “know your limits in enduring such violent clips,” according to a report by the network.CNN“.
“Video may seem inevitable on the internet and on social media, but you may need to do it (not watch it) for the sake of your mental health,” said Rhianna Ellis Anderson, assistant professor in the department of health behavior and education at the University of Michigan Medical School.
She added, “Humans are attracted to violence, and some may think that by watching the video, they will see something that explains (human) behavior,” noting that these clips often do not help us understand the reasons.
It is not clear from the video of the severe beating of Nichols why the police officers used extreme violence against the victim.
The Memphis Police Department announced the dismissal of a seventh officer in connection with Nichols’ death for violating its excessive use of force and duty to assist policies, and charged them with second-degree murder and kidnapping.
A city spokesperson had stated that the video had more than 1.7 million views within the first 17 hours after it was posted, according to the newspaper.Los Angeles Times“.
Research shows that constant exposure to news of violent incidents can cause stress and negative reactions, and witnessing vicarious violence can arouse feelings of anxiety and fear, and in some cases, lead to unrest.
And if some consider watching the video as a tribute to the late Nichols, Anderson said that “it is important to acknowledge what happened, but this does not mean an obligation to watch the video itself.”
And she explains, “There are many other ways to honor, far from causing ourselves psychological trauma. We can mention the person’s name and write it on banners or hashtags on social media, or even cheer him on.”
Psychologist and trauma expert Monica Williams agrees that not everyone needs to watch such violent videos.
“We live in a violent culture, and posting these clips as entertainment makes us more violent,” she said. “I don’t think that’s the solution, we’re angry enough already without the added trauma of having these images etched into our minds.”
And she added, “You have to think about the consequences of watching these videos on your humanity and behavior. I never encourage doing that, because I do not think that this gives honor to the victim.”
Psychology professor and expert on the effects of watching police violence on social media, Erlanger Turner, advises people to do a self-assessment before watching violent videos.
And he says, “Some people can see it and stay somewhat well, but it may evoke overflowing and other negative feelings in others,” stressing that whoever decides to watch the video must prepare himself for stress and take care of himself.
Turner advises managing the psychological stress of watching violent videos, through a support system of people you can talk to about the incident, or getting a break and doing something fun like dancing, listening to music or practicing religious rituals, or channeling that energy in a positive way that can happen Faraqa in the community, “It is important not to lock our feelings inside us.”
He also notes the importance of parents’ willingness to take questions from their children about these incidents because children may be exposed to such videos or hear about them, and “it is important to talk to children of all ages”.
