Fear Based Media
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Reclaim Your Mind: How to Break Free from Fear Based Media

Are you being triggered by fear based media, whether it’s scrolling social media, reading the news, watching YouTube or watching tv?

I’ve written quite a lot about the negative aspects of the modern media world and uncontrolled phone usage. In this post I will talk about how specifically this programming is triggering you and give you a step-by-step guide to free yourself from it.

Have you noticed that we use the same word for the thing that makes a computer do what we want and also to describe a TV show? It’s called a programme for good reason.

1. Social Media Scrolling

The most obvious media that can be toxic is social media. Whichever app it is, when we mindlessly scroll, they trigger the following:

Comparison

We see the highlights of other people’s lives and we compare ourselves to them. Remember it’s only a highlight; we don’t see the humdrum. Those other people are probably looking at your posts and thinking the same.

Outrage

We are seeing people’s unfiltered opinions online, which they wouldn’t air face to face. If we disagree with their point of view that can cause us anger. We may get involved in an online back and forth argument. Other content makers also try to game the algorithm by deliberately posting provocative posts which will get our attention.

Fear Signs

Notice how you feel after a session on social media. Do you feel behind, like others are more successful? Or are you agitated over divisive content? Algorithms favour emotional intensity, especially outrage and fear. This will keep you engaged, but at a cost.

If you feel drained, inadequate or restless after scrolling, then this is a sign that you have been triggered. You aren’t consciously afraid, but something inside you is tense or low.

2. Reading the News

“Britain’s gone to pot.”

“The end of the world is nigh.”

“All [insert group] are [insert negative verb].”

Reading the news will give you an erroneous view of the world.

Crisis

Everything is a crisis, or so they say. There doesn’t seem to be any moderation. Even the poor old much-maligned British weather gets the same treatment. A nice warm sunny day is a Deadly Heatwave. A cold snap in winter becomes The Beast from the East.

Negativity bias

Negativity sells and gets attention, but I try to write positive articles. However, sometimes the temptation is to sensationalise and try click bait. I hope my writing is practical and positive, however I can see how the written media is incentivised by their negativity bias. This doesn’t help us, as readers, though.

What are the fear signs, that you are being triggered negatively from the news? Do you feel like the world is spiralling out of control and that you’re helpless to improve your situation? Remember that you are never helpless.

How does reading the news affect you? Negative and shocking news taps into the brain’s threat detection system, the amygdala. Therefore, bad news feels more urgent and gets our attention. I’ve written before on the amygdala in my post on Anxiety. In it I give you some practical tips, if you ever suffer the debilitating effects of anxiety.

Not sure if you are being negatively affected, by the news? Watch for a low-level anxiety that builds across the day. You start in a good mood but by the end of the day you just feel a sense of doom about the future.

There is always something you can do.

3. Watching TV (especially news or drama-heavy shows)

This is similar to the written media. The shows use catastrophic storytelling, high tension and existential crises. Yes, I include the news in this, as their biases are tantamount to storytelling.

Again, your sympathetic nervous system is activated. It results in a clenched jaw, shallow breath and mild panic. Fight or Flight.

Emotional drama mimics real danger. Think of those soap operas where everybody is going through some crisis. Well, your body doesn’t distinguish between a TV crisis and a real one.

The danger signal is if you have trouble switching off or feeling unsettled after watching, even if the show was “just entertainment.”  You sit and binge on boxsets and before you know it you’ve consumed hours of negativity.

4. Watching YouTube

I rarely watch TV anymore, just the odd program or football game here and there. I started to watch more YouTube as I felt I had more control over this. However, the algorithm can strike again. Beware of the rabbit holes. For instance, the thumbnails will have someone’s faced contorted in shock and the headline screams, “10 reasons why the economy will collapse”. There’s a lot of this type of content.

This can make you feel like you are falling behind on money, insecure or like you need to binge more content to ‘catch up’ or protect yourself. Many channels thrive by pumping out fear-based, high-drama narratives and its addictive.

You started watching YouTube to watch content about motivation, success or money. However, the more you watch the worse you feel after. You were supposed to feel better.

What Can You Do?

You don’t need to quit everything cold turkey as that would be difficult. Believe me I’ve tried. You can, however, start filtering for:

  • Energy-giving content, not energy-draining
  • Creators who empower, not fear-monger
  • Time-limited, intentional viewing vs endless passive consumption

Triggering Awareness

Before you start quitting, you can assess how you feel with each type of media. Does each media make you feel:

  • Calm / Clear-headed,
  • Neutral / Numb or,
  • Anxious / Fearful

Once you have this information, you can start to eliminate those that especially make you anxious and fearful. Treat it as if you were cleansing your diet, less junk, more nutrients.

Media Cleanse Plan: 7 Days to Reset Your Mind

A media cleanse is one of the most underrated mindset resets you can do. You’re not just cutting stuff out, you’re reclaiming attention, energy and emotional sovereignty.

Here is an example plan for introducing safe, inspiring inputs to replace the fear-based ones? The goal is to reduce fear triggers and reclaim focus. This method will rewire your media inputs to support peace, clarity and growth.

1: Media Audit

Spend about 10-15 minutes writing down each app, news channel or content system you subscribe to, in the following categories.

Social Media

What ones do you use?

YouTube channels

What are the main channels you subscribe to or watch regularly?

News sources

What papers (online & print), news TV channels, Radio talk shows do you consume?

TV shows / streaming

What are the main terrestrial TV shows or streamed series do you watch?

Now go through each one and state after consuming each one, how do you usually feel? (Energised, flat, anxious, etc.) Which ones are clearly fear-triggers?

2: The Cleanse Rules (Next 7 Days)

From step one, which sources are you going to pause?

  • News apps / headlines
  • Doomscrolling Twitter/X or Instagram Reels
  • YouTube rabbit holes (especially economy/hustle/fear-based ones)
  • Negative, high-drama TV shows or true crime
  • WhatsApp groups or conversations that dump fear, gossip, or panic

3: What can you do instead to fill the void?

Use this as daily “Mind Fuel”. Here are some recommendations:

Try a morning grounding session. Instead of reaching for your device, first thing in the morning. Replace the time with silence, journaling or walking outside. Try meditation.

To help give yourself a rule of no phone for the first 30 minutes of the day.

4: One Growth Input per Day

Replace junk media with positive:

  • Audiobooks
  • Podcasts
  • Or even better a physical book

5: Evening Wind-Down Rule

This was a big one for me. Try 1 hour screen-free time before bed. Instead use that time for reading, stretching or journaling. Try to reflect on one insight from the day (what did you learn or notice?)

Example Daily Plan

  • Morning: No phone 30 mins. Ground, reset, get sunlight.
  • Midday: One growth input. Audio-book, physical book, article.
  • Evening: Wind-down routine. Screen-free, journal, reflect.
  • Throughout the day: No negative media. Use blocker apps if needed.

Review

At the end of 7 days, write down what changed in your energy and mindset.

When were the cravings the strongest?

Is there any media you now want to intentionally bring back (if any)?

What will your default media diet look like from now on?

You don’t have to live in a constant state of low-grade fear, anxiety or comparison. The media you consume shapes your mindset, but you get to choose your inputs. Try the 7-day media cleanse and notice the shift in your energy, focus and peace of mind. Start today, by auditing your media. Cut out the noise and reclaim your mental clarity. Your mind deserves better fuel.