Photo by Ahmad Dirini on Unsplash
Why do we feel a need to generate mass hysteria when communicating a health concern? It seems the media and our society love to generate an emotional stir when discussing something of interest that affects us all. We as a society seem to thrive on controversy, turmoil, and negative emotion, like we don’t have enough of it in our own lives. Of course, those individuals who struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder surely do not need additional ammunition to perpetuate their fixations.   But all of us tend to reflexively react rather than purposefully act in this type of situation. Do people react  so strongly to negative media because they want to believe that someone has it worse off than them? The fascination with this recent outbreak of the swine flu or the politically correct term, H1 N1, may have more to do with fear of the worst case scenario rather than the fear of reality. We react to our distorted perception which is perpetuated by the media, rather than reacting to a realistic picture of the situation.  When we become more fear based and less reality based, we limit our effectiveness and impede our ability to think outside the box. Approach life with enthusiasm and passion without allowing the abundance of negative media to influence your actions and thoughts. It is wise to be well-informed and thoughtful, but consume the information selectively without being obsessed with outside influences.