As news of violence and conflict keeps coming, how do we protect our mental health?

Amid rising tension in Iran and the Middle East, relentless news of violence and suffering on social media raises the question: how does it affect us and how can we stay informed without harming our mental health?

Researchers say there are steps people can take to reduce overexposure to the sights and sounds of war on social media and news channels. Source: SBS, AAP, Getty

Key Points

• Amid a new conflict, tensions are rapidly escalating while unrest spreads across the Middle East following attacks by the US and Israel on Iran.
• According to the 2025 Reuters Digital Report, more people are avoiding the news due to its emotional weight and the extensive coverage of war, a phenomenon linked to compassion fatigue, atrocity fatigue, or vicarious trauma.
• Dr. Ayesha Jehangir, a lecturer in war reporting at the University of New South Wales, warns of a gradual desensitization to violence, but emphasizes that this does not mean people no longer care.
• Dr. Susan Rees, also from the University of New South Wales, found that panic and psychological stress increased among women with connections to the Middle East conflict between 2023 and 2025.

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As news of violence and conflict keeps coming, how do we protect our mental health?

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