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.

But while taking in as much information as possible is a common stress response after an acute incident, it can create other stress responses such as poor sleep; nightmares; feeling shocked, angry or panicked; struggling with fatigue and concentration; feeling hopeless and helpless. All these reactions are to be expected in the face of witnessing or experiencing an overwhelming trauma, and must be monitored carefully.

When an event like this is filmed and broadcast, we may unexpectedly encounter violent and distressing imagery and not realise until later that........

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