Anxious About Disasters? Turn Off The TV

After three hurricanes and a mass shooting, there’s no shortage of violent images on television and online.

Those images can take a toll on viewers, said Plateau Mental Health Center Director Anne Stamps.

“We need to try to limit intake, this is for everybody all the way around, not to constantly be watching the news and all those frightening and scary images,” Stamps said.

Keeping track of your mood and that of your family is also important, Stamps said.

“It’s OK when you get to see some of those positive things, like folks getting water and food and rebuilding starting to happen and survivors surviving the attack in Las Vegas, but really we need to limit our own viewing as well as our kids’,” Stamps said.

If you, or someone in your family feels overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to seek help, Stamps said.