Crisis coverage: earthquakes and COVID-19, the psychological impact on Albanian journalists – exit

The first part of a two-part series.

Last year was unprecedented in the history of Albania. Regardless of the ongoing political infighting and the constant flow of scandals, Albania has been rocked by two natural disasters that have claimed the lives of more than 180 people and left thousands in a state of economic insecurity.

On November 26, 2019, Albania struck a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that killed 51 people, injured hundreds, and displaced thousands. Just four months later, a global pandemic was announced with the advent of COVID-19 and the country stalling. To date there have been 4,570 deaths and 128 deaths.

Aside from doctors, rescue teams and relief workers, journalists were on the frontline as well. Seriously report the situation while it appears. Often with limited access to official information, under the threat of an attack on their profession, which is at risk of their safety and well-being, Albanian journalists provided the public with up-to-date information about the two crises.

Research shows that journalists often suffer from “transportation”, as they feel the pain of the victims they meet or witness. This can lead to indirect secondary shock and post-traumatic stress disorder.

After Hurricane Harvey in the United States, 90% of journalists interviewed two months later showed some symptoms of PTSD and 20% achieved the threshold for diagnosis. 40% can be diagnosed with depression and almost all have shown some symptoms of the condition. Journalists note that they have suffered from memories of the past, insomnia, bad dreams, and the disruption of their daily lives.

The main stresses of their circumstances were not just the nature of the stories they were covering, but long hours, unexpected schedules, and pressure on their role to report the disaster.

Another American study interviewed journalists working for a daily newspaper. The results revealed that the more coverage of the traumatic content, the greater their risk of PTSD exposure. Journalists reported emotional bleeding, fatigue, memories, anxiety, depression, and alcohol use.

Little is known or written about the impact of two traumatic events on journalists in Albania, only four months apart. Exit spoke to five local journalists including two TV presidents, a photographer, and two text journalists to learn more about their experiences and their aftermath.

Issa Mezairaj was sleeping at his house in Darras when the earthquake struck. He was the first journalist to report on the disaster, and opened the live broadcast about four minutes after it occurred. His house collapsed in the earthquake and he was lucky that he and his family managed to escape.

“I opened the live video and recorded for 19 minutes in which those moments were transmitted. This was the most terrifying event I ever reported and it was before my eyes that there was only rubble and people under it. I could not do anything except ask for help in the live broadcast.

The experience of the epicenter, the collapse of his house, and the horror of that night as it happened had a lasting impact on Jesus. For weeks after he said he could not enter a closed room and slept in the car, he suffers from nightmares every night.

“There were moments when I burst into tears, I don’t know why … It happened naturally. I can’t forget the cries of relatives crying for their loved ones who were left under the rubble. I can’t forget a single moment.”

In terms of COVID-19, Issa said that not knowing what we’re dealing with made it scary.

“I didn’t know how to behave … It was the situation that made me think every day that the world was changing once and for all. It was scary … I would finish work every day at midnight and look at the city empty, without people, without cars Even without a police, it was really scary. “

When the epidemic began, Issa, who was still suffering from anxiety and stress caused by the earthquake, said he had increased his psychological and mental state. He moved to live alone for fear of injuring his parents, and was overcome with fear for the future of himself, the country, and humanity.

A female journalist working for the mainstream newsroom also provided her account with Exit, but only on the condition of anonymity because she did not want her employers to consider her “weak.”

She described the difficulty of being a professional and reporting situations when they appeared, while also caring for yourself and your family.

The earthquake coverage was very painful. Not only did I have to leave my house, but I was on duty 24/7, trying to produce factual and swift reports to keep people informed. It was horrific, watching the death toll rise and higher as they were removing bodies from the rubble. “

Even the hardest was trying to keep reporting while the earth was still shaking and was afraid for its safety. This fear remains with her today.

“I used to run on adrenaline for days and slept about two hours a night for the first two weeks. Even now I sometimes feel an earthquake even when that doesn’t happen, and every time I think about an earthquake, I feel anxious and sweaty my hands. A week, believing that there is another earthquake. “

Like Jesus, she said that the onset of the epidemic and the attendant sentiments worsened the already fragile mental state.

“I think you end up absorbing a lot of pressure and tension – because there is a large amount of pressure to report correctly. Also fear of the unknown and what may happen, fears of losing your job, your family and the people you know. She said:” Her pregnancy, along with pressure The closure is also a heavy burden.

She told Exit journalist that she believes she has had two minor mental impairments over the past seven months which has resulted in her being unable to work for a few days at a time. She believes this is due to the events she spoke about and the pressures involved in her work.

News anchor, Claudiana Lala, said covering the aftermath of the earthquake was one of the only moments when she was afraid of her work.

“This was one of the only moments when I felt intimidated. This was also the fact that I am a mother and some of the victims trapped under the rubble of apartments or flats were children, the same age as my daughters.”

Claudiana took the lead to seek some professional help in managing the emotional consequences of her work. She consulted with doctors and psychologists to help her ensure that she continues to prepare work reports and serve the public.

While reporting COVID-19 did not intimidate her, she prevented her from approaching her family for fear of transmitting the infection to them. She adds that journalists in Albania were never ready to deal with such incidents

Most of the exit journalists he spoke to indicated that their colleagues had also been affected. Some cases have been reported from PTSD, depression, to positive COVID-19 tests. Others have indicated that the pressure to keep the public informed while the situation changes minute by minute has had a profound impact on their physical health.

“Once I stopped working the day I was collapsing. The anonymous reporter said:“ When the autopilot shuts down and the adrenaline stops working, that’s what happens – it crashes. ”

In terms of the support received, the responses were generally positive.

“COVID was as difficult as it happened a few months after the earthquake. We supported the business owner with financial reward after the earthquake, and during the COVID test we were tested three times,” said journalist Maxi Rama. He also stated that they were given reasonable time periods that would allow him to relax and relieve stress.

Another journalist told Exit that her employers provided them with personal and emotional support, which allowed them to leave when things got a lot.

“There were no questions. They understood and supported us as possible – they always put our safety and well-being first.

However, Issa does not know the best way to help journalists follow these types of stories.

“We definitely need help. I think a plan must be drawn up by professionals. A plan that is executed whenever events like this happen. Events in which a journalist must be present, every hour and every second, for whole hours, to see terror in their eyes but not allowed Interacting with emotions. “

Maxi added that the working hours for journalists should be five to six hours instead of eight additional hours.

He said: “Friends and colleagues often told me that they didn’t even have time to buy a bottle of water or eat because they had to report directly.”

“Journalists should have the opportunity to see a psychiatrist when covering stressful stories, it is important.” he added.

All of the journalists who spoke about going out observed some impact on their family lives. Some went without seeing family members for months at a time, and some became agitated and pressured at home, which negatively affected their personal relationships.

“I was feeling cold and emotion but I was also worried because I had tried to address my feelings since the past few months. The journalist told Exit:” You have to absorb them, and you cannot continue doing your job. “

But she added with a smile.

“I will say that we knew this was a difficult task when we started doing this. The press is not easy, and tension and shocks are part of the region.”

Keywords: Albania, Albanian earthquake, Covid-19, Press, Journalists, Tirana

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