The Mental Health of Journalists

Journalists' increased and continuous exposure to trauma on the field is seldom talked about with the depth it requires. The DART Center for Journalism and Trauma, established in 1999 at Columbia Journalism School, has contributed valuable information concerning reporting trauma and mental disorders in the journalism field. Studies show that 80 to 100 percent of journalist have been exposed to work-related trauma. The most common traumatic events that journalist experience are automobile accidents, fires, murder, mass casualties, war and disaster. But exposure to work-related trauma comes with a price: At least 59 percent of journalists are living with mental disorders. The most prevalent disorder, anxiety, is broken down into several categories: phobias, general anxiety disorders, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders and panic disorder. Common symptoms are anxiety, grief, and depression. In this short series, I examine why reporters stay in journalism despite the risk of exposure to trauma, what trauma means to them, how they cope during times of grief, and measures that can be taken to start a conversation. I interviewed five media professionals - a freelance photojournalist, azcentral.com sports columnist, New York Times national correspondent, and director of communications at Clean Energy for a Healthy Arizona. All discussed what it means to be a reporter at risk of traumatic exposure in the field.