is the world really a dark place?

this past week i have come across a couple of different examples of how what we look at, read, watch and listen to have a huge impact on the way we view the world. I met with a lovely lady during the week who has struggled for a long time with anxiety (along with a few other things). She had a childhood of abuse and violence. She spoke about her fascination with murder mysteries, cop dramas and American forensic science TV shows. She watches CSI when ever she can and reads serial killer novels.

She was completely surprised when i explained that when we experience anxiety we have a tendency to seek out and orient toward anxiety and threat related stimuli. We look toward, look for, remember all threatening words and images. when we orient toward those anxiety related stimuli our anxiety increases and so in turn we look toward further anxiety stimuli and our anxiety increases again.

She was also surprised when i explained that violence in 2011 is significantly lower than in previous decades. That serial killers are incredibly rare (even in America) and that by far most murders are committed by loved ones or ex loved ones. She had herself convinced from watching CSI that serial killers are quite common and they happen as regularly as they seem to on television.

my advice to her was to avoid flooding herself in violence. There is nothing good to come from blood and gore in the name of some false scientification of a cop show. In fact i explained to her that to maintain the longevity of my career i have to consciously re-orient my attention to safe pictures, to caring stories, to warmth and home life. I consciously chose shows on television about cooking and gardening if the option is violence. if i didn't chose safeness i would also start to see the world as a very dark place indeed.