AFCN organized a Closed Mental Health Session for Fact-checkers
November 5, 2023
As part of its efforts in supporting Arab fact-checkers and ensuring their safety, the Arab Fact-Checkers Network from ARIJ organised a closed mental health support session for fact-checkers with Dr. Ahmad Sherri, a specialist in psychological therapy.
The session objective was to learn how to deal with vicarious trauma and exposure to painful images and videos during the work on verifying information related to the crisis in Gaza.
The session was presented by Dr. Ahmad Sherri, a specialist in psychological therapy from Lebanon. He focuses on mental awareness and clinical treatment of various pathological spectrums, such as panic attacks and depression. He also helps with trauma recovery through hypnosis.
Fact-checkers from 9 Arab countries, namely Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, and Libya, from 11 Arab fact-checking initiatives/organizations, as well as freelance fact-checkers and journalists, participated in the clinics.
Dr. Ahmad Sherri provided the participants with some valuable tips to help them cope with the negative psychological effects of their work:
- Try to separate your professional and personal life as much as possible.
- Set aside a short period for yourself each day after work.
- Limit the number of times you are exposed to painful images and videos to work hours only.
- Setting working hours helps you to withstand and produce better.
- Remind yourself that there is a positive goal for watching these videos/pictures, which is to reveal the truth.
- It is important to put ourselves as a priority. This is not selfishness but a necessity. To be able to help others, you must help yourself.
- Practice proper breathing exercises before sleeping daily.
- Stay away from your phone for at least half an hour before going to bed, and leave it.
- Think about how to improve productivity the next day and do not allow sadness to control you.
- It is necessary to face emotions or reduce them, not to suppress or avoid them, which may lead to burnout.
The Arab Fact-Checkers Network (AFCN) is a grassroots network that works towards fostering transparent and impartial fact-checking in the Arab region.
