A short Optimize with Brian Johnson +1 episode (published May 25, 2019) arguing that modern media exposure — especially TV news and talk shows — amplifies chronic stress and anxiety. Johnson cites Kelly McGonigal and references studies (including a 2013 Boston Marathon news exposure finding and a 2014 US adult survey) to claim that time spent watching TV talk shows was the single best predictor of fear and anxiety. The episode ends with two reflective questions prompting listeners to evaluate their media consumption.
You're listening to Optimize with Brian Johnson. More wisdom in less time.
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Optimize plus one. Way back in the early days of our plus one Optimizing together, we talked about the fact that our limbic systems evolved to deal with a single lion roaring at us at a time. As we said in that little chat on Lions vs jungles, check out the link in the plus one if you missed it. That lion's roar triggers a fight or flight response. We fight or we flee, and hopefully we live to talk about the tale later. But the important thing to note is that the stress from that event, although extremely acute, is also extremely short lived. We respond to the challenge and move on. Our nervous system resets itself. All good. These days we're so bombarded with stimuli that it's as if, to use Alberto Villodo's metaphor, the entire jungle is roaring at us all day, every day. Yikes. The result? A whole lot of enervated anxiety. Today I want to talk about the single best predictor of people's fear and anxiety. Pop quiz. Can you guess what it is? We'll find the answer at the end of this little passage from Kelly McGonigal's the Upside of Stress. She tells us, and I quote, stress caused by the news as opposed to stress caused by your life, is unique in its ability to trigger a sense of hopelessness. Watching TV news after a natural disaster or terrorist attack has consistently been shown to increase the risk of of developing depression or post traumatic stress disorder. One shocking study found that people who watched six or more hours of news about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing were more likely to develop post traumatic stress symptoms than people who were actually at the bombing and personally affected by it. It's not just traditional news programs that instill fear and hopelessness. Stories of tragedy, trauma and threats dominate many forms of media. In fact, a 2014 study of US adults found that the single best predictor of people's fear and anxiety was how much time they spent watching TV talk shows. End quote. Well, there you go. A 2014 study of US adults found that the single best predictor of people's fear and anxiety was how much time they spent watching TV talk shows. Today's +1 two quick questions. Number one how's your fear and anxiety? And number two how much time do you spend watching TV talk shows? Bonus Questions See any connections and or ways to optimize? Here's to dealing with the inevitable stressors of life without introducing unnecessary ones. Plus one plus one plus one via minus one minus one minus one.
We hope you enjoyed this episode of Optimize with Brian Johnson. To find out more, go to Optimize Me.
