Book Review | How to win over Stress and PTSD

Book Review: Sauradeep Chakraborty

A Groundbreaking Publication

‘How to win over Stress and PTSD’

Editors: Dr Mrinal Chatterjee and Sambit Pal

Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Dhenkanal Monograph 21.

There is no denying that the profession of Journalism can be an immensely stressful and demanding one. Despite coming with its own rewards, the profession can be exhausting and can exert its toll on people. In this era of '24X7 Breaking News' journalists are expected to be on their toes and constantly in search of 'that one story' that could bring in stratospheric TRPs for their channels or quantum jump in circulation figure or bombardment of hits- depending on the platform he/she is working for.

This has added a huge burden to the already overburdened work-schedule of present-day journalists.  It can be argued that journalists have always indulged in stress-inducing work which is both physically and mentally exhausting. Constantly being ordered to report unpleasant incidents, constant criticism and scrutiny of their work and an erratic work schedule that leaves little time for relaxation - all of them can contribute to many mental and physical problems, most prominent of which are:  Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Unfortunately, mental health concerns among journalists are rarely discussed. It is, more often than not, treated just like an 'occupational hazard' that journalists inherently know how to deal with. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The recent suicide of Mr Aman Brar, who was a journalist with Network 18 in Chandigarh and was, incidentally, an alumnus of the IIMC, has brought some attention to the fact that journalists are not immune to these problems.

To help media professionals, budding journalists, and others, and to bring attention to this pressing issue, IIMC, Dhenkanal has brought out a monograph named 'How to win over Stress and PTSD' edited by Dr Mrinal Chatterjee and Mr Sambit Pal, both journalist-turned media academicians.

The book begins with a quote by legendary American entertainer Fred Rogers - "In times of stress, the best thing the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers".

The 80-page publication has first person accounts of journalists, articles by psychologist and psychiatrist, a compilation of research findings in this domain and tips on how to live with and win over stress. It is in a way a to-the-point guidebook that aims to help the reader recover from stress and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It contains nuggets of wisdom gained through years of experience. Full of practical advice, it does not mislead the reader from painting a rosy picture of the journalistic profession and doesn't shy away from making the reader know the ugly hazards of pursuing a journalistic career.

Recalling a traumatic memory, Dr Chatterjee, who has had an illustrious journalistic career prior to joining IIMC says, "I was newly married then and was posted in Baripada as the district correspondent of Mayurbhanj. One day, my wife got a phone call telling her that if your husband continues to write like this, you would be a widow soon. Just consider the mental trauma a newly married woman must have suffered. However strong one is, it takes a toll on his/her mental peace."

Mr Pal, recalling his days as a journalist with a reputed media group in West Bengal, says, "I remember that we had gone to cover the illegal armed camps of the then ruling party in a Maoist-hit area in West Bengal. They were trying to counter the Maoists putting up their own party cadres with arms. We were a group of journalists passing through one such area where there was an armed camp…..We were assaulted there. Someone got his arm broken; I got injuries on my fingers and chest.  Now think about my family. My parents were not aware that I was covering the armed camps. My wife was in her office. Somebody told her that some journalists have been beaten up and her husband was one of them….Our phones also were snatched. We were unreachable. So, it’s not just the journalists but most of the time the whole family suffers. But the funniest part is that every time, after such incident... there is an adrenaline rush you feel when you are out on the field. This urge to get stories makes you jump in trouble. This keeps happening!"

While the book does mention that Journalism in intensely stressful, it emphasises the need for counseling for both prospective and current journalists.  Ms Sahana Ray, Pune based consultant psychologist specialised in stress management and community psychology emphasised the need for recognising the stress points and learn how coping mechanism works.

Dr Tanmay Maiti, an experienced psychiatrist, recommends regular exercise and sleep, abstinence from addictions, spending more time with your loved ones, and a hobby as an 'outlet' to cope with the trials and tribulations of the profession. The book's ten golden concluding points that advise how to combat stress would be invaluable to any professional or student seeking a solution to the three-pronged problem of stress, depression, and anxiety.

Indeed, many journalists go through difficult situations in their careers, but with a positive mindset, and with plenty of help, they can recover and thrive. The acceptance of the fact that being a journalist is a difficult and thankless job and difficult experiences are a part of a career in Journalism can help. These invaluable experiences later become touchstones of their careers and the lessons imbibed stay throughout their lifetimes.

'How to win over stress and PTSD' is a groundbreaking publication that would surely help not only journalists but people from all walks of life to look at the brighter side of life and deal with problems effectively!

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Sauradeep Chakraborty is a 2019-20 batch PGDJ (English) student of IIMC, Dhenkanal

13.3.20