Negative Effects Of Media On Your Positive Thinking Patterns
The Effects Of Media Can Be Detrimental To Thinking Positively
Changing the negative effects of media on your positive thinking patterns will happen
when you change your focus from reading about all the negative events and watching
them on TV.
Lessen the effects of media on your life by taking time away from the trashy
magazines, the talk shows and negative news. Thinking positively and focusing on what
they want in life is all but impossible for some people - when they spend so much time
focusing on the negative situations of someone else's life.
We have been bombarded with the negative effects of media all our lives and you may
think you have it under control, but you will be surprised to know just how much
negativity has been embeded in your subconscious mind over the years.
Fanning the Flames of "Media Created" Anxiety - A Break From Unnecessary Drama By L. John Mason
Tips for gaining control of your life...
The news media is more than a source for information and current events. It has
become a "roller coaster ride" of drama and self-aggrandizement. We consumers of
these presentations are swept up and our visceral anxiety responses are fanned into a
frenzy. But why are swept up in this media blitz of emotion?
The Media Provides You With Anxiety Producing Excitement
Since the dawning of the "Information Age" in the 1970's, we have been steadily drawn
into an escalating 24/7 need for worldwide news and the media has provided us with
anxiety producing excitement from every corner of the world. Technology allows this
instant communication and seems to encourage our "need to know" mentality.
We "need to know" because we have a very primitive survival mechanism that
stimulates our external focus on any threats, even perceived threats that may exist
thousands of miles away, so our unconscious minds can protect us by preparing to fight
or to flee from "danger." When the Flight/Fight Response is triggered, our reactive,
survival mechanisms take priority.
We can react with "knee jerk" habitual patterns that are unique to our learned
responses, but are born from the survival reaction. One major reaction that occurs for
many people under threat to the negative effects of media is a reduced ability to
creatively problem solve and communicate effectively. We react and often do not really
think things through. When this occurs, mistakes can be made. Accidents can happen.
The Changing Of Media Coverage After 911
People or projects can get hurt. Relationships can be harmed. Our world can suffer by
becoming a victim to poor rational thought in cases of fear or the negative effects of
media driven anxiety. It is an extra "heaping, helping" of annoying distractions that take
us away from self-care, focus on priorities, and creative pursuits that promote
productivity and well-being.
Just before 9/11/2001 our news media changed. Do you remember? About 3 months
prior to the terrorist attacks on New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania, the
television news media upgraded their reporting to include, not just a "talking head"
(reporter) giving us the "news" but also text messages flying by on the bottom of the
screen, and often a graphic on the left of the "talking head."
Now we have to deal with 3 sources of information simultaneously. This multi-tasking
creates added frenetic anxiety in coping with the increased negative effects of media
input. Have humans evolved to keep pace with this new use of technology? When we
are threatened, we have a response that NEEDS to know what is going on around us so
that we can take action and survive any threat. We are often overwhelmed.
We have learned to cope by becoming unconscious regarding the negative effects of
media craziness. The media fights to keep our attention. The media has evolved their
approach to sensationalize their coverage, to yell at us even louder, with more graphic
events that "demand" our attention. Even the weather news whips us with "STORM"
coverage that makes weather events major news, even when it occurs hundreds of
miles away!
Know How To Stop From Being A Victim To The Media
To combat the negative effects of media blitz on our senses we must do three things.
First, we must become aware that we can become victims to sensationalism that may
not necessarily be an immediate threat, and filter the news so that we can respond
more appropriately. Secondly, as my friend Rodger Ruge suggests, we should consider
a media "Fast," where we reduce and limit the amount of the negative effects of media
news that we subject ourselves to.
For many of us, turning off the news, especially before bedtime, would be a very good
option. The third necessary step is to practice self-care and strengthen our emotional
foundations by eating better, avoiding caffeine, getting regular exercise, and practicing
daily relaxation.
Awareness of the negative effects of media frenzy can help protect us and our children
from the "overwhelm." Since the mid 1980's, we have been deluged by new
technologies that force us to react to news and information that is swirling around us.
We have experienced: pagers, fax machines, cable TV with 500 channels, Cell phones,
text messaging, e-mail, internet information, changes in media coverage of world
"disasters," "robo-calls" at dinner time, and huge expectations that we are plugged in
24/7 and can respond instantaneously even when we are driving our cars.... This is
crazy making!
Some people can handle this gracefully, in fact, some people can thrive in this
environment. But most of us are just victims to our technology and can benefit from
setting some limits on the ways that we use, and react to, our technologies... We need
to evolve and to create survival strategies that meet our unique, individual
requirements.
Please be smart and figure out how to "not become a VICTIM" to the negative effects
of media and our newest technologies!
May Attention To Your Negative Reactions To Media Coverages
When we see natural disasters on the TV, we think that we filter the visceral effects on
our survival systems, but our unconscious often reacts to the possible threats that are
perceive through our visual and auditory senses. When we witness "coverage" of war
zones, murders, attacks, rapes, fires, or vehicular accidents, we may believe that this
does not affect us at a "conscious level," but we are still triggering the flight/fight
response in some systems at an unconscious level.
Have you ever noticed your heart race or your gut tighten when confronted by news or
movies? Does your neck, jaw, or back react to accidents or disasters that you witness
in person or on TV? Do thoughts of "media images" ever pop into your conscious mind
as you try to sleep? We are bombarded by negative media attacks almost everyday.
Do the negative effects of media pundits ever whip you up with their "news coverage"
or editorials so that anger or fear seem to rise to the surface of you or your loved
ones? This can be emotionally and physically hard on our systems.... Be aware and do
not get caught up in the media circus, if at all possible.
Negativity On A Subconscious Level Can Stop The Law Of Attraction From Working
Final note. Many people are studying and applying the principles of the "Law of
Attraction" believing that goal setting and positive thinking patterns and positive
attitudes toward achieving these goals is essential to success. World class competitive
athletes have been using these "Sports Psychology" techniques in their training regimen
for decades to achieve advantages in mental preparation in their events.
When we get caught in the sensationalized, negative effects of media reporting by the
various media, we are sapped of our positive thinking patterns and energy. We lose our
focus on attracting success and positive outcomes. In fact, we can be overwhelmed by
negativity. This can strip you of your ability to problem solve in positive and creative
ways. Negative thoughts can attract negative outcomes, mistakes, and ill health.
Avoiding the negative effects of media and negativity (and negative thoughts) can be a
path to better health and lead to positive outcomes. "Dwell in the Light" and when you
feel overwhelmed, consider turning off the negative newscasts and immerse yourself in
a book or audio program, or a video that will inspire you with positive; thoughts,
actions, and emotions.
About the Author:
L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the country's leading stress management expert and the author
of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Success and
Executive Coaching and Training.
Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at Stress, Stress
Management, Coaching, and Training for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the new
telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training
or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833.
If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the
Professional Stress Management Training and
Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.
Star Attraction
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