Mental Health Toll From Watching Violent Videos

On September 13th  2025, FOX 10 Phoenix published a story warning about the psychological effects of consuming graphic online content following Charlie Kirk’s assassination. The report highlighted that video clips of the attack circulated widely on social media, exposing viewers to repeated scenes of violence.

Aida Shahnazarian, therapist at Horizon Recovery, told FOX 10 that young people often share violent clips for “likes” and attention without considering the long‑term trauma that witnessing such scenes can cause. Shahnazarian noted that social media’s popularity and the availability of live‑streaming remove the filter that used to separate audiences from real‑time violence. Because teens can’t process the full impact, seeing these clips over and over may lead to desensitization—yet the underlying trauma can still damage their mental health.

The article traced the problem beyond social media, recalling past on‑air tragedies—such as news anchor Christine Chubbuck’s 1974 suicide, Pennsylvania Treasurer R. Budd Dwyer’s 1987 press‑conference suicide, and the 2015 on‑air murders of journalist Alison Parker and cameraman Adam Ward—to show that traumatic footage isn’t new. However, the instant replay culture and algorithm‑driven feeds of today amplify the exposure.

To protect mental health, therapists recommend limiting time on social platforms, consciously logging off, and substituting real‑world activities—touching grass, hugging loved ones, helping in the community—to reconnect and prevent desensitization. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, quoted in the piece, urged people to log off and “hug a family member” as a way to break the cycle. 

Shahnazarian emphasized that you don’t have to be personally connected to a tragedy to feel its effects; it’s valid to feel upset, and resources are available across the Valley for those struggling.

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