Are you sighing while looking at your screen on a regular basis? Have you gasped in horror while viewing a disturbing injustice posted on Facebook or Instagram? Did you slip into an article's comment section and instantly seethe with anger? If you've answered yes to these questions, you're not alone.

In recent years, we've seen an overwhelming spike in social tragedies, from police brutality and racial profiling to racist media rants and blatant displays of white supremacy. The hearts and minds of black media consumers are heavy.

Stumble into any comment section under a police involved murder of a black American, or video of angry white men yielding tiki torches, and you will find lengthy replies from enraged and exasperated black viewers going toe-to-toe with hate in order to defend their existence.

Constantly consuming these blood pressure raising slices of reality can weigh heavy on our mental and emotional functioning. Exposure to trauma can produce symptoms such as depression, anxiety, hyper-vigilance, insomnia and even rage. Chronic (repeated) exposure to trauma can intensify these symptoms and lead to mental health related diagnoses (i.e. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder).

I personally have had friends and clients sob, yell, describe anxiety attacks and experiences of reliving personal traumas due to scrolling through their social media apps, seeing troubling videos or witnessing brutal displays of racism in comment sections. Site clicks and viral posts are dominating our workplace, home and watering hole conversations.

So, what do we do?

We certainly cannot turn a blind eye to social injustice, but we can limit our exposure. It's OK to log off for a few days, weeks or even delete a profile. Shake up your timeline by following positive, comedic and uplifting profiles and brands. Talk to a counselor or therapist if you feel your consumption has been traumatic. Take a scroll break from time to time and take care of yourself.

Dr. Ashley Elliott

Writing since August 2018 · 1 story contributed