CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the span of just a few weeks, two violent acts: one on the Charlotte light rail, the other on a Utah University Campus, have played out again and again on screens across the country. For many people, the seemingly constant, unpleasant, and disturbing news images on social media have taken their toll on their mental health.
Today on the show, we sat down with licensed counselor, Jacquelynne Greco to unpack it all, and talk through how people can learn to cope with lingering disturbing images, playing over and over again in their minds. We also discussed how we can talk through things with our children, when they see unpleasant images online.
“We live in a time where there’s constant news and social media updates,” says Jacquelynne Greco, a licensed clinical mental health counselor. “And often disturbing images or stories come up without warning.” For adults, the impact can be profound: anxiety, sadness, disrupted sleep, and a sense of helplessness. For children, the effects are often more acute. With less impulse control and greater vulnerability to peer pressure, they may feel unsafe or overwhelmed. “Kids take emotional cues from adults,” Greco explains. “If a child sees something upsetting, the most important thing a parent can do is stay calm. Ask open-ended questions. Reassure them. Give context that’s age-appropriate.”…