How do you process horrific images?
September 9, 2011 2:31 PM Subscribe
How do you metabolize horrific images?
I came across a link today to something terrible that I won't even link to here, a mainstream horror/torture film... this is one in which the premise itself is horrific.
As often happens, when I come across this kind of thing, it feels like it infects my head, and I have a hard time *not* thinking about it for a few days... sometimes longer. I have a decent stomach for the standard stuff, but in particular, descriptions and images of the edges of human cruelty stick with me far longer than I'd like.
These are things that appear, sometimes, in mainstream media, e.g., the excerpt of Simon Baron-Cohen's book in the New York Times, which has a horrific description of a specific WW2 atrocity.
My sense is that other people can read this kind of thing and move on. For me, I can't always shake it, and am thus looking for ways to somehow metabolize the horror.
Is there indeed great variation in our abilities to move on? Relative to the casual intersection with images, not lived experiences that produce trauma. Are there any good cognitive strategies for coping with what seems to be an extreme sensitivity?
Any references to a way to think about this are helpful.
I came across a link today to something terrible that I won't even link to here, a mainstream horror/torture film... this is one in which the premise itself is horrific.
As often happens, when I come across this kind of thing, it feels like it infects my head, and I have a hard time *not* thinking about it for a few days... sometimes longer. I have a decent stomach for the standard stuff, but in particular, descriptions and images of the edges of human cruelty stick with me far longer than I'd like.
These are things that appear, sometimes, in mainstream media, e.g., the excerpt of Simon Baron-Cohen's book in the New York Times, which has a horrific description of a specific WW2 atrocity.
My sense is that other people can read this kind of thing and move on. For me, I can't always shake it, and am thus looking for ways to somehow metabolize the horror.
Is there indeed great variation in our abilities to move on? Relative to the casual intersection with images, not lived experiences that produce trauma. Are there any good cognitive strategies for coping with what seems to be an extreme sensitivity?
Any references to a way to think about this are helpful.
If you have a park near by, go and watch people be happy. Watch the children play and the dogs run around, watch the couples who are taking a walk together.
Surrounding yourself with happiness and life will help push the bad memories away.. and when the bad images do come back, focus on the things you seen in the park.
posted by royalsong at 2:38 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Surrounding yourself with happiness and life will help push the bad memories away.. and when the bad images do come back, focus on the things you seen in the park.
posted by royalsong at 2:38 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
It helps sometimes to slowly reduce the time you spend thinking about the horrifying image. At first, when it occurs to you, it flashes into your mind and stays there a good few seconds. As soon as you start thinking about it, think about something else. Come up with another compelling (but pleasant) thought to replace it with and focus on that thought instead. Over time, you'll find that you spend less and less time actively thinking about it.
I often find that by doing this, I train my brain to stop reinforcing that image in my head. I learned in a psychology class that our long term memories are reinforced through rehearsal. The less time you spend dwelling on this particular mental image, the more easy it will be for you to forget it.
posted by millions of peaches at 2:39 PM on September 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
I often find that by doing this, I train my brain to stop reinforcing that image in my head. I learned in a psychology class that our long term memories are reinforced through rehearsal. The less time you spend dwelling on this particular mental image, the more easy it will be for you to forget it.
posted by millions of peaches at 2:39 PM on September 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
There's a term for what you're looking for - it's known as a Unicorn Chaser.
posted by swngnmonk at 2:43 PM on September 9, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by swngnmonk at 2:43 PM on September 9, 2011 [4 favorites]
I asked a question a while ago about minimizing the effects of horror stories. It sounds a little like we have different methods of processing to begin with - I try to get shit out of my mind as soon as I can, whereas you talk about 'metabolizing' the mental images somehow. Nevertheless, that thread has some excellent advice.
posted by Phire at 3:02 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Phire at 3:02 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Something that helps me with repetitive disturbing thoughts comes from mindfulness techniques. Perhaps you might find it useful. If not, don't worry.
Instead of getting totally sucked into the memory of the horrible content and all the imagined implications of that content, try instead to pay attention to the simple occurrence of the thought and the various physical and emotional feelings it creates in you. Treat it like bird-watching or something like that, and become an observer rather than a participant.
So it becomes something like (for example) - 'Oh, there it is again. Ok, that's the fourth time it's come up this hour. Seeing a mental image. Feeling upset. Feeling my chest tighten. Feeling my breathing speed up. Observing the feeling of upset. Paying attention to the sensation in my chest. Paying attention to my breathing. Paying attention to the way these things are changing,' and so on. Watch what happens as closely as you can. It actually carries its own kind of fascination, and you may find you have stopped thinking about the horrible stuff and are focusing instead on the workings of your own mind and body.
It does take practice and a lot of patience with yourself. Essentially you're shifting your point of attention. Just let the thought/memory go on its way as gently as you can without trying to forcibly suppress it.
I have found Shinzen Young's website useful for information on mindfulness.
posted by frogbit at 3:15 PM on September 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
Instead of getting totally sucked into the memory of the horrible content and all the imagined implications of that content, try instead to pay attention to the simple occurrence of the thought and the various physical and emotional feelings it creates in you. Treat it like bird-watching or something like that, and become an observer rather than a participant.
So it becomes something like (for example) - 'Oh, there it is again. Ok, that's the fourth time it's come up this hour. Seeing a mental image. Feeling upset. Feeling my chest tighten. Feeling my breathing speed up. Observing the feeling of upset. Paying attention to the sensation in my chest. Paying attention to my breathing. Paying attention to the way these things are changing,' and so on. Watch what happens as closely as you can. It actually carries its own kind of fascination, and you may find you have stopped thinking about the horrible stuff and are focusing instead on the workings of your own mind and body.
It does take practice and a lot of patience with yourself. Essentially you're shifting your point of attention. Just let the thought/memory go on its way as gently as you can without trying to forcibly suppress it.
I have found Shinzen Young's website useful for information on mindfulness.
posted by frogbit at 3:15 PM on September 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
I enjoy gory, twisted horror films but I've seen a few things that made me want to scrub my brain. What has worked for me is finding (ideally) behind-the-scenes or making-of clips of that same film/scene on YouTube or (if that is unavailable) interviews with the actors/film-makers. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it usually only takes someone complaining about how that particular scene meant hours in make-up, hot lights, or something else rather mundane to wash the icky-brain away.
posted by K.P. at 3:30 PM on September 9, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by K.P. at 3:30 PM on September 9, 2011 [6 favorites]
I don't think you're as alone in this as you think. I find it is getting worse as I get older and my tolerance for a lot of things is decreasing.
Unicorn chasers are good. I also like funny wordplay stuff (mondegreens, puns, even Damn You Autocorrect) because I tend to visualize word jokes in a very bright cartoony way that chases off the boogeymen.
I'd like someone to try that tetris study with Bejeweled, because that is my absolute go-to when I need my brain rebooted.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:30 PM on September 9, 2011
Unicorn chasers are good. I also like funny wordplay stuff (mondegreens, puns, even Damn You Autocorrect) because I tend to visualize word jokes in a very bright cartoony way that chases off the boogeymen.
I'd like someone to try that tetris study with Bejeweled, because that is my absolute go-to when I need my brain rebooted.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:30 PM on September 9, 2011
I suffer with this and certain scenes from books, movies and real life will haunt me for days, weeks and sometimes years after I've been exposed to them. I have to will myself to stop thinking about them but I can't seem to get completely cleansed...it's like an infection or sensitive area that' more quickly activated now that it's been triggered. It's very frustrating and has forced me to become a much more careful consumer of media.
When I do find myself exposed to stuff, I quickly try and replace it with more positive thoughts or activities. I don't dwell and I actually picture myself physically pushing it out of my head. Sometimes I picture painting a dark wall with white paint or scrubbing something clean to actually make it a more active experience.
Good luck and I agree with Lyn Never that it's getting worse as I get older and Damn You Autocorrect always improves my mood.
posted by victoriab at 4:00 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
When I do find myself exposed to stuff, I quickly try and replace it with more positive thoughts or activities. I don't dwell and I actually picture myself physically pushing it out of my head. Sometimes I picture painting a dark wall with white paint or scrubbing something clean to actually make it a more active experience.
Good luck and I agree with Lyn Never that it's getting worse as I get older and Damn You Autocorrect always improves my mood.
posted by victoriab at 4:00 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
If it was indeed a movie, it may help to think about how it actually was staged, which reminds you it was fake. To think that the blood was in fact corn syrup and imagine the poor prop dude who has to keep it in stock, or to envision the actor who supposedly just died horribly cracking up while they were trying to film his death and then saying "no, no, guys, sorry, I'll get it together..ha ha ha ha! But I have this BEAR TRAP on my HEAD and it's really STYROFOAM! AND IT TICKLES!" Doesn't work for real events such as the Holocaust, but if you've ever been backstage at a movie, TV show or play, the level of fakeism can help cleanse your mind of the image's final result.
posted by GaelFC at 4:03 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by GaelFC at 4:03 PM on September 9, 2011
Usually I can get something like this minimized by judging it, or setting certain values for it, kind of like a checklist. Here are the general questions:
Good or bad?
Pretty or ugly?
Neat or lame?
Sensual or gross?
Smart or dumb?
Intelligent or stupid?
Real or fake?
Basically, once the values are assigned, and I know that it's a bad, ugly, lame, gross, dumb, stupid, fake thing, my brain does all of the work for me and puts it into a category deep into the dark caverns of my brain, because I think most brains are conditioned to ignore things that are bad, ugly, lame, gross, dumb, stupid and fake.
If you think that the images are either good, pretty, neat, sensual, smart, intelligent or real, then maybe you need to process it a little more in order to figure out why your brain is stuck on it.
posted by jabberjaw at 4:18 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Good or bad?
Pretty or ugly?
Neat or lame?
Sensual or gross?
Smart or dumb?
Intelligent or stupid?
Real or fake?
Basically, once the values are assigned, and I know that it's a bad, ugly, lame, gross, dumb, stupid, fake thing, my brain does all of the work for me and puts it into a category deep into the dark caverns of my brain, because I think most brains are conditioned to ignore things that are bad, ugly, lame, gross, dumb, stupid and fake.
If you think that the images are either good, pretty, neat, sensual, smart, intelligent or real, then maybe you need to process it a little more in order to figure out why your brain is stuck on it.
posted by jabberjaw at 4:18 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Previous question on the green.
I look at images for a living and have a very strong visual memory.
I make it a point to differentiate between real images of real people and manufactured or manipulated images--CGI, Photoshop, film, etc. and sometimes ever speak aloud--"that's fake" or something (not in the movie theater but at home.) If it's fake or fraud or faux, I tend to not retain it.
And yes to Tetris, Sparkle, any repetitive game, helps.
posted by Ideefixe at 4:24 PM on September 9, 2011
I look at images for a living and have a very strong visual memory.
I make it a point to differentiate between real images of real people and manufactured or manipulated images--CGI, Photoshop, film, etc. and sometimes ever speak aloud--"that's fake" or something (not in the movie theater but at home.) If it's fake or fraud or faux, I tend to not retain it.
And yes to Tetris, Sparkle, any repetitive game, helps.
posted by Ideefixe at 4:24 PM on September 9, 2011
I, too, and especially affected by stories of human cruelty; when I run into them I try to think about people being incredibly good to one another as an antidote. Read about Janus Korczak or go to the 'heroes' section of happynews.com.
posted by smoakes at 5:02 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by smoakes at 5:02 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
This happens a lot to me, as well. I have no answer for the during the day eek-I-can't-get-this-horrific-image-out-of-my-mind, but sometimes it is bad for me when I am trying to fall asleep and I get cycles of bad images which each feed into the others.
It's kind of silly, but I picture a long hallway with doors, and I try to visualize shutting the horrific images behind it's certain door and locking it. I have one door for icky insects (because I invariably think something will be crawling on me..), another door for gross and bad images from horror movies, and another one for descriptions from books that bother me. It doesn't always work, but over time I've found that it is working better. Anytime the thought pops back into my head, I just throw it back behind the door and start thinking about fluffy bunnies and whatnot.
posted by firei at 5:27 PM on September 9, 2011
It's kind of silly, but I picture a long hallway with doors, and I try to visualize shutting the horrific images behind it's certain door and locking it. I have one door for icky insects (because I invariably think something will be crawling on me..), another door for gross and bad images from horror movies, and another one for descriptions from books that bother me. It doesn't always work, but over time I've found that it is working better. Anytime the thought pops back into my head, I just throw it back behind the door and start thinking about fluffy bunnies and whatnot.
posted by firei at 5:27 PM on September 9, 2011
Ok, so I have had to deal with a couple of horrifying real-life mental images (not so much the made-up ugliness of the world). What works for me is to have a "stand-by" BLISS mental image, or a whole library is even better. When the horrifying image attempts to insinuate itself, I have learned to consciously substitute the good for the bad. It's simple and effective; I just say no to the bad and play the "happiness clip".
Just deliberately refuse to look.
Now, if you are curious in some way about the ugly mental image you may have to work through how it makes you feel, as suggested above. I've had to do that with the real-life memories, but you can insist to yourself that you will do it on your own terms/time, and not be "victimized" by it. A simple play, but hey, you don't have to look at disturbing images unless you agree you want to.
posted by bebrave! at 5:53 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Just deliberately refuse to look.
Now, if you are curious in some way about the ugly mental image you may have to work through how it makes you feel, as suggested above. I've had to do that with the real-life memories, but you can insist to yourself that you will do it on your own terms/time, and not be "victimized" by it. A simple play, but hey, you don't have to look at disturbing images unless you agree you want to.
posted by bebrave! at 5:53 PM on September 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Oh man. A few weeks ago I saw a picture of a gigantic white spider sitting on a roll of toilet paper.
I could not unsee that to save my life. Every time I closed my eyes I saw that freaking spider. Ugh.
What I did was slowly replace it - body part by body part - into a kitten. An adorable fuzzy, smoosh face kitten. Sitting on a toilet paper roll.
Consistently, every time it spider vision happened, I replaced it bit by bit.
It took about a week, but I'm now spider free. And one kitten on toilet paper wealthier.
posted by functionequalsform at 6:07 PM on September 9, 2011 [5 favorites]
I could not unsee that to save my life. Every time I closed my eyes I saw that freaking spider. Ugh.
What I did was slowly replace it - body part by body part - into a kitten. An adorable fuzzy, smoosh face kitten. Sitting on a toilet paper roll.
Consistently, every time it spider vision happened, I replaced it bit by bit.
It took about a week, but I'm now spider free. And one kitten on toilet paper wealthier.
posted by functionequalsform at 6:07 PM on September 9, 2011 [5 favorites]
I spend some time thinking about why I'm hung up on the image: not why it's disturbing, but what my brain is getting out of this obsessive repetition of the thought. Does it crave stimulation? Is the image evocative of a deeper fear? Does the experience of horrohandle me feel more alive or aware? By piecing apart WHY I'm compelled to return to the image, I dismantle its hold on me.
posted by itstheclamsname at 7:44 PM on September 9, 2011
posted by itstheclamsname at 7:44 PM on September 9, 2011
Specific to movies and television, I imagine the bored teamster who filmed the scene. Some grizzled dude with a mustache, mid-50s, a look of exquisite boredom on his face, big ol' beer gut, idly trying to remember whether "King of Queens" is on tonight or not.
Through the viewfinder: the worst stuff you can imagine. (And I have a pretty good guess what movie you're talking about.) But dude keeps filming it, 'cause that's what they pay him for, and whether he's filming kittens or ________ it's all pretty much the same to this guy. It's just a way to pay the bills.
Something like Futurama's Scruffy the Janitor, but a cameraman.
That, and liberal application of prescription-strength Cute Overload.
posted by ErikaB at 7:55 PM on September 9, 2011
Through the viewfinder: the worst stuff you can imagine. (And I have a pretty good guess what movie you're talking about.) But dude keeps filming it, 'cause that's what they pay him for, and whether he's filming kittens or ________ it's all pretty much the same to this guy. It's just a way to pay the bills.
Something like Futurama's Scruffy the Janitor, but a cameraman.
That, and liberal application of prescription-strength Cute Overload.
posted by ErikaB at 7:55 PM on September 9, 2011
I do not recommend spider-to-kitten mental transform because the middle part, where you have a spider-kitten, is so much worse than the spider by itself.
I discovered the Tetris trick for myself, by accident/impulse a dozen years or so ago, and I see that there are studies to back it up now. I also find doing lots of behind-the-scenes research helpful too, if for some reason I'm interested in the subject matter or something and have to get over it. But yeah, Tetris.
posted by wobh at 9:04 PM on September 9, 2011
I discovered the Tetris trick for myself, by accident/impulse a dozen years or so ago, and I see that there are studies to back it up now. I also find doing lots of behind-the-scenes research helpful too, if for some reason I'm interested in the subject matter or something and have to get over it. But yeah, Tetris.
posted by wobh at 9:04 PM on September 9, 2011
I watched such a film set in a southeastern European country earlier this year. I'm pretty sure that I'll never forget what was in it, until I watch another horrid monstrosity. What's scarier to me is that I did feel like a worse person for actually seeing it in some ways.
And then I scroll through BBC News and various photo-blogs, personal stories of people surviving genocide, rape, mortar attacks, and torture, and realize how fortunate I am to have none of my immediate family experience that in front of me.
It's easy for me to get sucked into whatever media or situations I am absorbing, but it's more fulfilling for me to lose myself in others, or different tasks that require all my attentions.
posted by Giggilituffin at 9:52 PM on September 9, 2011
And then I scroll through BBC News and various photo-blogs, personal stories of people surviving genocide, rape, mortar attacks, and torture, and realize how fortunate I am to have none of my immediate family experience that in front of me.
It's easy for me to get sucked into whatever media or situations I am absorbing, but it's more fulfilling for me to lose myself in others, or different tasks that require all my attentions.
posted by Giggilituffin at 9:52 PM on September 9, 2011
I have zero tolerance for icky/gory/violent imagery. None. I cannot handle it at all. (One of the reasons I admire my sister so much is that she's a forensic investigator. She puts her boots on every morning and goes out to solve the crimes I can't even think about without feeling ill.)
In a recent issue of Rolling Stone, they had a story about the Mexican/American drug wars, and an American kid who became this mega drug lord in Mexico, and the article was accompanied by a series of pictures which illustrated some of the violent fallout of the drug lords fighting each other. As absurd as this sounds, I had to put post-it notes over the pictures so I could finish reading the article. I could not read it with them there. And even though it's been 3-4 weeks; and I only briefly saw the images before I ran for something to cover them with, I could describe every one of them in vivid detail.
I couldn't tell you where I left my car keys a couple of hours ago, I don't remember my wedding anniversary, and I'd have to stop and do the math to tell you how old I am, but I could probably describe 15-20 images that I've viewed over my lifetime that I've never been able to get out of my head.
I mean, it's not like I think about them all the time...although I did have to take that issue of RS to the recycle bin right away because every time I saw it, I thought of one particular image....and I don't want to think of that image ever again, thanks.
That said; it's not like I think about this library of stored horrible that lives in my brain unless something reminds me of it; and not many things do. I figure the RS image will eventually get a dewey decimal assignment in the Library of Icky, and god willing, I'll forget how to look it up.
posted by dejah420 at 10:09 PM on September 9, 2011
In a recent issue of Rolling Stone, they had a story about the Mexican/American drug wars, and an American kid who became this mega drug lord in Mexico, and the article was accompanied by a series of pictures which illustrated some of the violent fallout of the drug lords fighting each other. As absurd as this sounds, I had to put post-it notes over the pictures so I could finish reading the article. I could not read it with them there. And even though it's been 3-4 weeks; and I only briefly saw the images before I ran for something to cover them with, I could describe every one of them in vivid detail.
I couldn't tell you where I left my car keys a couple of hours ago, I don't remember my wedding anniversary, and I'd have to stop and do the math to tell you how old I am, but I could probably describe 15-20 images that I've viewed over my lifetime that I've never been able to get out of my head.
I mean, it's not like I think about them all the time...although I did have to take that issue of RS to the recycle bin right away because every time I saw it, I thought of one particular image....and I don't want to think of that image ever again, thanks.
That said; it's not like I think about this library of stored horrible that lives in my brain unless something reminds me of it; and not many things do. I figure the RS image will eventually get a dewey decimal assignment in the Library of Icky, and god willing, I'll forget how to look it up.
posted by dejah420 at 10:09 PM on September 9, 2011
Look up 5 or 10 beautiful, inspiring, cute, sweet images and stories. When the evil story comes into your head, mentally say STOP, and consciously think of one of the positive stories/images. Here's an inspiring story.
posted by theora55 at 2:35 PM on September 10, 2011
posted by theora55 at 2:35 PM on September 10, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
The best way I know to get such things out of my head is to concentrate on more pleasant things, and to try to be especially kind to others for a while. This seems to help cleanse images of cruelty from my brain, and bring me back to normality.
I don't know if that's the type of answer you're looking for.
posted by Perodicticus potto at 2:37 PM on September 9, 2011