Mental Health Support for the Georgian Media Community
Georgian media today is on the front lines, acting as first responders in the country’s ongoing political crisis. Journalists personally cover critical events, exposing themselves not only to physical risks but also to emotional challenges as they defend freedom of expression and democracy.
On the one hand, the role and mission of media professional enabling journalists to help society in making informed decisions serve as a protective shield, reducing emotional distress.
On the other hand, journalists are exposed to life-threatening experiences, are often underappreciated and criticized, and, at times, are subjected to harassment, which puts emotional burden on them.
In this challenging context, we offer several key messages, tips for resilience, to support journalists:
1. Expect Resilience: Evidence reveals that resilience is the most common stress response.
2. Practice Self-Care: Practicing self-care and emotional regulation, seeking and/or accepting and/or providing social support, and adopting adaptive and flexible coping strategies help to enhance our resilience.
3. Externalize Pathology: Mental health symptoms in response to stress are natural reactions to abnormal circumstances.
4. Acknowledge Natural Recovery: If during the first month after exposure, the frequency and intensity of mental health symptoms are reducing, this indicates a process of natural recovery.
5. In Case of Need, Seek Professional Help: If the symptoms are so intense that they hinder your daily functioning, or persist for more than one month, consider professional help.
6. Destigmatize: Recognizing when professional mental health support is needed is a strength, not a weakness.
7. Prize yourself: Above all, know that your professional performance inspires and empowers society.
Support for journalists:
DW Akademie, in collaboration with the Foundation Global Initiative on Psychiatry – Tbilisi, within the project "Mental Health Support for Georgian Media Professionals," offers mental health counseling to media professionals who need support during the ongoing political crisis. The counseling is provided by the evidence-based, multidisciplinary mental health service "Club Synergy". If you feel professional help is necessary, please reach out to our project coordinator for a referral.
Contact information:
Phone: (+995) 599 80 70 21
E-mail: clubsynergy.tbilisi@gmail.com
The Quality Media and Conscious Media Consumption for Resilient Society (ConMeCo) project is implemented by DW Akademie (DWA) in cooperation with the Media Development Foundation (MDF) and Human Rights Centre (HRC) funded by the European Union and co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
This article is funded by the European Union and co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Its content is the sole responsibility of the Foundation Global Initiative on Psychiatry – Tbilisi and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union and BMZ.
