An Interview with Dr. Christine James

by Lauren Jonik

Last fall during election season, I noticed that the more I watched the news or scrolled through my Facebook feed, the more stressed out I felt. Though I think cultural dialogue is crucial in a democracy, it seemed that I was witnessing a kind of unraveling. Instead of people talking about issues, friendships were fraying at the seams. What was once a fun way of connecting had turned into a political minefield, and reading or watching the news seemed to drain my energy.

As much as I wanted to stay informed and be a citizen who participates, I decided that it was necessary and healthy to put boundaries around the media I was consuming. So, I set limits and began to honor them. One particularly helpful step was to limit reading political articles before bed and instead, to use that time to unwind and let my mind and body settle.

Because we all have the ability to be connected to our devices at all times, that doesn’t mean we should be. (Just think: what’s the first thing you do when you wake up? For many people, it is checking their phone.) I reached out to psychologist Dr. Christine James to break down the complex topic of how media may be impacting us—and what to do about it.

Lauren Jonik: How have changes in the consumption of media in the past 20 years impacted mental health wellness?

Christine James: It is the types of media and the rates of consumption that are the mitigating factors. How much varied types of media impact the overall mental health of society has yet to be full understood. There are a number of researchers working on this issue and new information is being generated all the time to better understand this phenomenon.

LJ: What are the positive and negative impacts of using social media? Do you think this varies by age? For example, is someone who is a teenager influenced differently by social media than an adult might be?

CJ: The positive impact is a greater sense of connection, community and social responsibility.  Negatively, cyber bulling is a huge problem—and not just among children and teenagers. Adults do it to, often in more subtle ways, but they still engage in this behavior. Additionally, while expressing opinions and emotions is a positive thing, doing so for all the world (literally) to see and comment on can be detrimental depending on the individual’s ability to process the feedback appropriately.

Children and teens are affected differently than most adults mainly due to the fact they have never lived in a cyber-free world.  They have no other reference points. Media is the main way they communicate. Telling the difference between what is real and what is not and refraining from posting every thought they have the moment they have it is totally foreign to them.

LJ: Is dependence on social media a concern for mental health? Has there been a difference in the impact between social media usage and mobile phone usage when it comes to mental wellbeing?

CJ: Certainly there are some people for whom the mere suggestion of “putting down the phone” brings near panic reactions! You might as well suggest they stop breathing! As with anything, too much of a good thing is never a good thing. On the plus side there are now apps available for mental health counseling, so it is all in how you use it.

LJ: How have events like the infamous video of Donald Trump speaking with Billy Bush about grabbing women by their genitals impacted people? Have media events like this been a trigger for people with PTSD?

CJ: There is a full body of research regarding the way media of all kinds affects those with PTSD. The studies essentially boil down to this: yes, media is often a trigger for PTSD symptoms such as flashbacks and nightmares.

LJ: How does the consumption of media influence anxiety?

CJ: That would depend on the type of media and the reasons people are viewing/interacting with it. Some people use media as a way to relax and escape (prime time TV and films) while others use it as a way to socialize (video games that require other players). News media is correlated with increased anxiety after viewing, even in those without a pre-existing anxiety disorder.

LJ: What do you recommend for people who are affected to do to mitigate those effects?

CJ: TAKE A BREAK!! People often very closely follow certain news stories or themes. They often become more agitated about the issues rather than less. Taking a break, a purposeful one, can help to relieve the associated anxiety.

LJ: Does constant exposure to news events from around the globe impact how people view the world? A hundred years ago, a person likely knew what happened in their geographic area and any major world events. Now, the average person can consume vastly more information on a daily basis. How does that influence them cognitively and emotionally?

CJ: Cognitively, it can become an overwhelming amount of information to process. Emotionally, it may also be overwhelming. This could result difficulties with emotion regulation—from shutting down emotionally to being easily distressed.

LJ: There has been a trend of “fake news” and “alternative facts” in the past year. Do things like this erode a certain kind of trust in institutions—like journalism—that people once relied on to orient in their worlds?

CJ: I would venture to guess that people have always distrusted media to one degree or another.  The days of believing everything you read likely never actually happened. Now we just have more journalistic voices and more people to decide to trust or distrust.

LJ: From a psychological standpoint, are there any studies yet that explain why certain groups may be more prone to believing fake news?

CJ: This is not my specialty area, but if there is not a published study out yet, I am sure there will be shortly.

LJ: What might be the antidote to this cognitive dissonance?

CJ: I think those that believe fake news are not in cognitive dissonance. They are not really holding contradicting opinions to those who identify fake news as real. It is more akin to delusional thinking.

LJ: Any final thoughts?

CJ: Media, like everything else, can be used in both positive and negative ways. It is important to be vigilant about your individual consumption and the effects it may be having on your life.

---

Lauren Jonik is a writer and photographer in Brooklyn, NY. Her work has appeared in 12th Street, The Manifest-Station, Two Cities Review, Amendo, The Establishment, Bustle, Calliope and Ravishly. When she is not co-editing TheRefresh.co, she is working towards her Master’s degree in Media Management at The New School. Follow her on Twitter: @laurenjonik