The Long-term Effects of Fear

The fear-evoking messages that the news emits are considered conditioning because their effects are long-lasting. Psychologist B. R. Johnson noted that while experiencing occasional fear for the sake of entertainment is harmless, fear becomes an issue when people “ruminate” about a disturbing event and “feel anxious or depressed for days” (Singer & Singer, 209). A mental health article by Denise Mann reported that frequent mental distress, including anxiety, stress and depression, is on the rise in America. Researcher Dr. Matthew M. Zack of the CDC reported that “in some areas, normal or low frequent-mental-distress levels increased over time, implying the introduction of influences that increased levels of frequent mental distress” (Mann). While Mann’s article does not offer what this influence is, it is likely that news coverage of fear-evoking events is a contributor to increased anxiety because of its repetitive and skewed representation of the world’s events.