Wars, conflicts, and disagreements have been ongoing from the beginning of time. Traumatic experiences resulting from war trauma have impacted a countless number of individuals, whether resulting in temporary symptoms or potentially long-term PTSD. What has changed over time, however, is the presence, influence, and impact of social media through many decades. Social media is a huge influencer of war trauma, and the exploration of the many ways it is impactful will be covered in this article.

Images. Pictures and images on social media are heavily circulated. Regardless of which war the picture was taken from, the heartbreaking truth and reality is that images derived from war zones and disasters resemble each other greatly. There are definitely symbolic images taken from wars in particular which may resemble that specific event, such as the image of the 2-year-old Syrian child’s body which was found ashore after his family tried to flee their country as refugees. The circulation of these images is profound, and once an image is broadcast to social media, it will remain there forever, and even if deleted at some point later on, traces can still be found (through screenshots, comments, etc.).

Selective coverage. The news is very particular with what it chooses to broadcast. There are numerous wars and conflicts which receive little to no attention, such as the Myanmar conflict, the Sudanese conflict, and the Palestinian-Israeli war, just to name a few. Social media can exacerbate this war trauma due to inhabitants of these countries or individuals of these ethnicities feeling that their experiences are unaccounted for, go unnoticed, or are invalidated. The inevitable biases of the news and journalism industry are very impactful in exacerbating war trauma, due to the lack of coverage of particular wars/conflicts/uprisings.

Multiple voices. The wide range of voices, as well as accessibility to practically anyone and everyone’s opinion, can be very trigger-some for many. With TikToks, Instagram, Snapchat Stories, Facebook Lives, and every other social media outlet in between, people are open and free to give their opinions about anything and everything happening in society. Public voices are not in line with those of everyone in society, inevitably so, and hearing/circulating opinions about one’s stance on wars and current events can be very triggering for someone who feels a particular way about a war, thereby triggering war trauma. Individuals commenting on wars/conflicts often may not have enough information or could be biased in the information they have.

For more information or insight on how social media influences war trauma, please feel free to check out additional blogs on our website. Our team of therapists have wonderful insight and experience working with a variety of populations and in many different realms, and take pride in writing about various, relevant topics to society. If you feel that you have been impacted by war trauma, particularly as a result of social media or otherwise, do reach out to us at Niyyah Counseling to find out more about a therapist who may be the best fit for you; the bridge to wellness is just moments away.

Social media undoubtedly has its pros as well as its cons. As a mental health therapist, a mother, and pretty much considering the multiple roles that I play, I personally have my reservations about social media and don’t hesitate to explore these considerations with my clients if they mention feeling unsure or are somehow affected by social media. As parents, there are several things which can influence our parenting styles, and the tricky thing about social media is that what you see is not always what’s behind the photo or post. Social media has an impact on parenting in several different shapes, forms, and fashions - read on to find out more about how so.

Picture perfect. Instagram posts, TikToks, Snapchat stories, and whatever else is in between are catered to show you only the ultimately perfect side of people’s lives and homes. Anyone who is a parent, however, knows that there is no part of parenting which is perfect - it can get messy, real, and just a bit complicated. Taking part in observing or trying to mimic this perfection is unhealthy, unrealistic, and can lead to damaging expectations as a parent. Noticing another mom’s spotless living room on camera, untouched kitchen, or daily color coordinated outfits with her mini me’s can cause one to rethink about priorities and possibilities.

The end goal. Ultimately, what is your role as a parent? What are some of your aspirations, goals, and hopes for your child? If you’re like most parents, the closing at the end of a long day with your little ones is not defined by whether or not your house is clean, your outfits are perfectly matching, or the number of likes you got on your most recent post - as parents, we are all striving and on this rollercoaster of parenthood together in our own separate ways in efforts to raise strong, confident, and intelligent human beings who will positively impact society and repeat the beautiful cycle of life.

You are the parent of your child. Social media parents are only parents to their own children, not to the children of the world. You know your child better than anyone else on earth, and you also know which approaches work best for her or him. A parent of three who uses the love and logic or 1-2-3 parenting style may not work for you as a parent of one, because your child’s personality and temperament are different and unique.

If you feel that social media is affecting your ability to parent or is causing you to second your capabilities as a mother or father, contact any of our therapists at Niyyah Counseling for support or to help you walk through your emotions. You are also more than welcome to check out our blog posts here on our website to read more about articles our team has written regarding the various aspects of parenting. Our therapists are trained in child development and have worked with parents of children of all ages - therapy is just a click away.