Flowers line the beach of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, on the Riviera coast. Days earlier, more than 80 people were killed during Bastille Day celebrations there when they were intentionally mowed down by a driver using a truck as a weapon. Experts say news about such tragedies can create a sense of hopelessness in people.

Nice. Dallas. Orlando. Baton Rouge. Istanbul.

There has been a constant barrage of bulletins filled with news of shootings, explosions and the deaths of hundreds.

News channels replay the same, grainy cell-phone videos of a gunman, explosion or speeding truck. There are follow-up stories of the hunt for accomplices or the hunt for a motive.

The mayhem has never been so extensively documented and recorded — or so widely seen — as in this age of cell phones, social media and 24-hour news cycles.

However, for some, the constant parade of violence can cause depression and anxiety.

“There has been an increase in the rate of clients who are experiencing elevated anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts due to the increase in terrorism and the feeling of helplessness as a result of the unpredictability of violence in our country” said Kristie Knights, a psychotherapist, founder and leader of the iRise Leadership Institute in Mars.

“There are definitely studies that show people who watch negative news ... it leads them to think and talk about their own worries and they tend to think the worst is going to happen,” said Donna Korczyk, a Cranberry Township psychologist.

Korczyk said studies after the Boston Marathon bombing showed people had more acute stress from watching and reading news reports than people who were actually at the bombing site.

“People are getting anxious and concerned about their own safety,” said Ellen Garbuny, a private-practice social worker in Butler who has been counseling people since 1989.

Garbuny said, “After 9-11, I had people flocking in because their anxiety was increased because of the attack, and I expect to see the same thing now, not just in my practice but in many other practices.”

Rebecca de Vries, a family counselor in Butler, said there is a danger of people obsessing over the news.

“Some people can't wait to get that next bit of information,” said de Vries. “Of course, after 9-11 we were all obsessed with knowing more.”

“It's a reasonable certainty that for someone already dealing with anxiety and depression, it could enhance or bring out more pronounced symptoms,” said de Vries.Knights said, “It is doing exactly what the terrorists want: it is increasing terror.”She added it is possible to be affected by post traumatic stress syndrome “just from watching and hearing of acts of violence.”“It's most prevalent among doctors and lawyers. People are hearing these stories and because of social media and the constant barrage of images” said Knights.“Kids are having nightmares and parents are watching the news obsessively,” she said.Garbuny said, “It's brutal. It's like, What's next? Is this going to happen in my world? Living with uncertainty is very uncomfortable.”Korczyk said the anxiety triggers the limbic system.“It releases stress hormones that affect the person. It fires up the 'fight or flight syndrome,'” she said.“It creates a sense of helplessness. They feel there is nothing they can do about anything,” she said.Knights said anyone showing symptoms such as insomnia, loss of appetite, irritability or withdrawal from usual activities or interests could need professional counseling.Korczyk said some people just numb up, shut down emotionally.“Some people cope with trauma that way, they shut down. But they find they can't feel much of anything,” she said.Garbuny said, “People find they are unable to concentrate at work or are feeling anxious, they should see a therapist or their religious leader.”“Talking about it helps defuse it in the brain,” said Garbuny. “And just limiting the number of images that you are exposing yourself to (can be helpful). Be aware of the information and move forward in life rather than fixating on it.”Damming up the data stream is also the recommendation of Korczyk.

“Stop watching so much, limit your intake of all the news stories,” she said. “I think people should limit their intake of what is available 24/7. You are not going to learn anything new. You are just going to be more traumatized.”“I would like to encourage people to turn off the TV, get off Facebook and get outside. That's healthier than being glued to the news,” said Garbuny.De Vries said the American Psychological Association has a website for information about maintaining emotional health: apa.org/helpcenter.“When managing anxiety as a result of trauma, it is important to be able to process what is going on, focus on what is positive in the world, and be sure to look at our self care. Don't permit our emotions to dominate and control our lives,” said Knights.

Volunteers install items at a new memorial in a gazebo in a seaside park on the famed Promenade des Anglais in Nice, southern France, Monday, July 18, 2016. Mourners formed a human chain to remove flowers, candles and other mementos placed along the Promenade des Anglais as spontaneous memorials to the victims of the Bastille Day attack in preparation to open the westbound lane.(AP Photo/Claude Paris)

7-year-old Eva Bartus, holds a flag outside a Dallas church during funeral services for one of the five officers slain there by a shooter earlier this month. A string of violent tragedies in the U.S. and abroad has dominated the news for weeks.