The murder and manslaughter trial of Derek Chauvin in downtown Minneapolis has given the public a rare look into court proceedings in Minnesota.
With countless media outlets, including WCCO Radio, livestreaming the coverage, mental health professional are raising red flags about how constant exposure to troubling videos and witness testimony associated to George Floyd's death can have on a viewer.
"This trial is a reminder of institutional racism and systemic suffering for various groups of people in our community," said Dr. Damir Utrzan, manager of mental health services for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation in Center City, Minnesota.
Week one of the trial gave a look into the moments leading up to and after George Floyd's May 25 death at 38th and Chicago. Jurors, along with the public, watched police body camera footage and heard testimony from bystanders who pleaded for Floyd's life.
Dr. Utrzan says constant exposure to the harrowing details can lead to vicarious, or secondary trauma.
"It's different from other types of trauma because it changes the perception of meaning and hope," Dr. Utrzan said. "Symptoms include emotional exhaustion, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and even physical complaints."
Physical complaints related to vicarious or secondary trauma are often overlooked according to Dr. Utrzan.
"The could be aches and pains throughout the body and shortness of breath that are induced by being exposed to the emotional turmoil from the trial."
Turning the coverage off and tuning out simply isn't as simple as it sounds, especially for people in unique circumstances.
"I'm not somebody that can just turn off the trial," said Henry Lake, host of Lake Night on News Talk 830 WCCO. "All of the testimonies are important. I can't just checkout. I have a job to do."
Lake said that as a Black man who works in the media, he wasn't sure initially how reliving the events of May 25, 2020 would impact him.
"It's not traumatizing, it's triggering," Lake said. "It brings back a lot of emotions from the first time I saw it last year when were talking about it in the wake of Floyd's death. For a lot of people, they don't want to have to relive it, and I feel like we're all reliving it. That's the toughest part."
Dr. Utrzan says there's an important rule to remember especially as if you have trouble stepping away from trial coverage.
"Be good to yourself and others. This trial is going to evoke a lot of feelings like confusion and a lot of anger, all of which is valid. Arguing that any of it is inappropriate would not be the right thing to do, because we're all different."
As the trial continues, entering week two of testimony on Monday, it's important to self-evaluate from time to time in order to gage if additional help is needed to deal with any trauma being felt.
"There isn't necessarily a right time to seek help," Dr. Utrzan said. "The right time is whenever you think you need it. It could be as simple as reaching out to a counselor or professional for a one-off meeting, or something more regular. There isn't a prescriptive method of doing it."
Finally, checking-in with people you think may be struggling to cope with images and information from the Derek Chauvin trial is also a positive step forward, even if the conversation isn't from the same viewpoint.
"Just being genuine and compassionate without offering a solution is perhaps the most important thing," Dr. Utrzan said. "We need to engage in dialogue to learn how people are thinking different from our beliefs and perception. It doesn't mean we have to agree, but the first step in coming to any sort of resolution or agreement is to make an effort to understand."
