We are living in the age of fear and we only have ourselves to blame. Everywhere we turn we are bombarded with fear. The movies and tv shows we watch. The books and stories we read. The news we consume are all creating a societal issue of fear.

While much of the fear based media we consume is fictional the feelings that it creates in us are real. When you feel anxiety or fear from a fictional horror story those feelings are as every bit as real as the fear based feelings that are derived from true events in life.

This past week nearly every major media outlet ran doomsday stories about climate change. The ongoing political battle between liberals and conservatives is often fought with fear based propaganda. We have chosen in this generation to allow fear to rule our society and to weaponize fear to achieve whatever ends we are trying to reach.

It is of little wonder so many people develop fear and anxiety disorders. The science is in on the fact that events that individuals have can impact them longterm psychologically. Think for example people who experience a traumatic event can develop PTSD.

We know fictional horror stories can create real anxiety and fear, so does it not logically follow that over exposures to fearful media can create long term and perhaps lifelong psychological disorders in individuals. Encountering doomsday news stories on a daily bases also will increase the rising fear and anxiety issues facing our generation.

The only way to counter this fear epidemic is to be mindful of the media you and your family consume. Parents do not allow your children to watch rated R horror movies. Be mindful of the news stories that you are consuming.

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34:4‬ ‭CSB‬‬