When Proximity No Longer Defines Impact: Understanding the New Mental Health Landscape
By Anshika Singh (Psychology Internship Program @ Tripta Wellness Home, Rajodi)
I never boarded the Air India flight on June 12th. I don’t live in Gaza or Tel Aviv. I wasn’t anywhere near the Iranian missiles or the hills of Pahalgam. Yet, like millions of young people around the world, I carry these tragedies in my mind; sometimes in my sleep, often in my scrolling. As a generation raised on constant digital connectedness, we find ourselves bearing the emotional weight from crises we have no physical proximity to. And while this hyper-awareness reflects a growing global empathy, it’s also taking a quiet toll on our mental health.
The Emotional Avalanche: Media Fatigue in a Hyper-Connected World
We’re living in a time where proximity no longer defines impact. Wars, terror attacks, accidents, and humanitarian crises unfold live before our eyes through news feeds, tweets, live streams, and graphic videos. These tragedies we read about every morning are not just isolated events, they are emotionally charged stories we are consuming in real time. But what does this relentless exposure mean for our psychological well-being?
One such psychological effect young people experience in such contexts is media fatigue– the emotional exhaustion that arises from the constant consumption of distressing news. This state is marked by apathy, irritability, anxiety, and sometimes even avoidance behavior. We start feeling overwhelmed not because of a single event, but because of the never-ending stream of sorrow, loss, and fear that floods our screens.
Shattered Assumptions and Skewed Realities: The Deeper Psychological Impacts
A pivotal study that brings this to light is Jeronimus et al. (2019), published in the British Journal of Psychology. In this study, Dutch adults were observed before and after the tragic MH17 plane crash in Ukraine, which had killed 298 passengers. Researchers found that even though these participants had no direct ties to the victims, they experienced a significant, albeit short-lived, spike in negative emotions and physical stress symptoms.
In the wake of the October 7 attacks and subsequent violence in Gaza, a 2023 preprint published on medRxiv presented startling data: young people watching graphic footage of the violence were experiencing PTSD-like symptoms at rates comparable to those in war zones. The researchers found that 22.9% to 36% of indirectly exposed individuals—those who consumed violent media but were not physically present—displayed signs of clinical trauma. This raises urgent questions. If simply watching these events unfold on Instagram stories or YouTube clips can leave such a deep impact, how are we preparing to support an entire generation exposed to global violence from their bedrooms?
Another effect tied to this kind of indirect exposure is Mean World Syndrome. It suggests that heavy consumption of violent media can cause individuals to perceive the world as far more dangerous than it actually is. For many of us, the result isn’t just anxiety—it’s a skewed worldview, a persistent sense that violence is omnipresent and safety is elusive.
The Air India crash for instance, didn’t just hit headlines, it hit our hearts. Videos circulated, images shared widely on social media platforms, stories shared about the victims and for a few days, the collective global consciousness was saturated with the tragedy. While the intention is often solidarity, the consequence is often stress. Repeated exposure to such images doesn’t just sadden us but rather rewires how we think about the world.
Over time, these experiences can shake the very foundations of what we believe to be true. Psychologists refer to this as Shattered Assumptions Theory, the idea that traumatic events can upend our core beliefs: that the world is safe, that people are good, and that life has meaning. For many of us scrolling through war zones and mourning strangers, the result isn’t just sadness. It’s disillusionment, doubt, and sometimes a sense of emotional detachment.
From Helplessness to Hope: Strategies for Navigating Digital Trauma
So, what can we do? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but awareness is a starting point. Understanding that our minds are absorbing trauma, even if our bodies are far away, is the first step toward healing. Personally, I’ve found it helpful to set boundaries around when and how I engage with news. Checking updates only at designated times and avoiding them before bed and as soon as I wake up. I’ve also begun curating my feed more intentionally, choosing to follow accounts that offer clarity, nuance, and sometimes even hope, instead of relentless sensationalism. Grounding practices like journaling or taking a short walk have helped me return to the present when my mind spirals. Talking openly with friends or a therapist about what I’m feeling has lifted a surprising amount of emotional weight. Most importantly, I’ve learned that taking small actions such as donating, signing petitions, or simply staying informed can transform helplessness into purpose.
It’s easy to feel like we’re too sensitive, too overwhelmed, or too fragile. But maybe that reaction says more about the world than it does about us. Feeling deeply isn’t a weakness. It is a sign that we’re paying attention. At the same time, constant exposure without support can become corrosive. We need better ways to process what we see and hear, and better systems to help us carry that weight. Resilience today doesn’t look like shutting down. It looks like learning when to lean in, when to step back, and how to stay grounded while doing both.
References:
Risk and early signs of PTSD in people indirectly exposed to October 7 events | medRxivhttps://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjop.12358