The violent clashes on the Thai-Cambodian border have resulted in numerous deaths, and many people following the situation through various media have experienced stress, depression, insomnia, and anger. This can negatively impact mental health in the long term. The Epidemiology Division, Department of Disease Control, and Public Relations Office Region 3, Public Relations Department, recommend ways to manage stress from media consumption during times of distress:
1. Always be mindful when consuming news.
In stressful situations like this, some media outlets may create content or headlines that incite emotion to generate views and followers. Therefore, it's best to avoid consuming such media and avoid believing headlines that are aimed at inciting emotion. Read news from reliable sources, scrutinize the clarity of the information before deciding to believe it, and be wary of fake news and news that distorts the facts, especially in this era where AI is often used to create realistic images that can easily lead to misunderstandings.
2. Limit the time you spend consuming news.
People who continuously follow the situation on the Thai-Cambodian border for long hours may easily experience emotional and stress-related issues. Therefore, you should set a clear time limit for reading the news, such as 30 minutes a day or no more than 1 hour, to reduce stress from prolonged media consumption. Importantly, you should not consume this news before bed, as it may cause you to feel stressed and prevent you from sleeping.
3. Set aside some time to do other activities.
The more we follow the situation, the more stressed we become. Therefore, we should set aside time to do other activities to relieve stress, such as watching TV series, listening to music, doing housework, exercising, playing with pets, etc., to reduce the time spent consuming media.
4. Respect different opinions.
Everyone has different and diverse opinions. This is normal in human society. Especially in situations like this, there can be different perspectives. Therefore, we should not listen to news from only one perspective or one media. We should practice opening our minds to see other perspectives that differ from our original beliefs. Try to open your mind to listen to different opinions. It will help us see the world in a broader way.
5. Don't generalize and express hatred.
We should also avoid generalizing and expressing hatred towards those who are not involved in the incident. Remember that everyone is a human being with different hearts and minds. Showing violence towards those we generalize to will only worsen the situation.
If you're feeling severely stressed and it's affecting your daily life, don't suppress it or let it go. You can seek help at the mental health hotline 1323 or consult a psychologist or psychiatrist. Mental health is just as important as physical health. Consciously choosing your news intake will help you face any situation with happiness and strength.