When Media Triggers Grief

Did you know that media triggers grief? Television, targeted ads, and social media are just a few types of media that are almost impossible to avoid. Unless you have moved off the grid and hold very strict boundaries with technology, it is hard to have full control of the media you view.

Fresh grief has a way of creeping into areas of your life you used to be able to use as an escape. Mindless scrolling or getting knee deep in a documentary used to let you disengage from the world. At least for a little while.

Those pesky thoughts, emotions, and pop-up ads just catch you off guard. A rush of grief fills you as an image crosses the screen. So many things can trigger those feelings of loss. We are constantly inundated with different types of media.

TV, a possible media that triggers grief

Have you ever sat back to indulge in your favorite TV drama and forget the troubles of the world? Television and movies are an art form that evoke real emotions and experiences. We laugh and cry and shriek in fear. Drama and trauma are what make these shows intriguing. However, when you have experienced your own trauma and grief, you may get triggered. Showing a patient in a hospital bed. A scene with a car accident may trigger intense grief in a way it never did before.

Social media triggers grief

Social media can be a real trigger. Scrolling through apps, you come across people’s own stories of grief and loss. Being ambushed by others’ emotions can sometimes trigger your own. Social media triggers grief in many other ways as well. When you experience loss, your priorities change. Seeing others be ungrateful or thoughtless, even when you do not know them, can be a trigger as well.

Targeted Ads

Ads will start to pop up when you have searched the internet for similar topics. If you had to search for funeral arrangement details or other things related to the death of your loved one, you may now get targeted ads flooding your timeline. It can be a real gut punch to be reminded of the hardest time in your life without warning.

Support ribbons

Support ribbons can even trigger grief. It is a beautiful thing to know that others support you. It is a great thought to have walks that commemorate cancer or other diseases that have taken the lives of a loved one. For some, it may be comforting to walk with survivors of that disease or to put a sticker on the back of a car. However, for others, it’s just another reminder of their loss.

Take a media break

The majority of us live a lifestyle that requires engaging in media regularly. Creating strong boundaries around media is important to avoid unnecessary triggers. When you feel yourself get upset, insecure, or sad more often, it may be time to put down the phone and turn off the television.it may be time to put down the phone and turn off the television. Take regular breaks from media, especially social media. Having real conversations with real people and healthily processing your grief is the best way to go.

That stinky little grief monster will still show up now and then, but healthy boundaries with the media will help avoid those triggers. Connect with us for additional grief support.