Distressing videos can have a lasting impact – here’s how to look after yourself in the wake of the Bondi attack

‘We may unexpectedly encounter violent and distressing imagery and not realise until later that consumption of this material may have had lasting and harmful psychological impacts.’ Photograph: Brain light/Alamy

Like everyone else, I watched news of the Bondi attack unfold last night with shock, horror and dismay. As I did so, I was immediately assailed by imagery of bodies lying on the ground, barely hidden from view. I closed these videos immediately, knowing the way this imagery can stick in your mind.

When terrible events such as yesterday’s attack occur, we often race to find out as much as possible about what happened. We do so by trawling social media and news sites. This is a natural way of making sense of events, and reflects a human urge to know what is occurring around us in order to keep us safe. Sometimes it’s a more prurient interest, like the way we slow down to look at a crash.