Media’s Alarmist Headlines: Fueling Public Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Over the past few months, the use of fear-mongering headlines on television news channels and social media has increased. The daily presentation of news with horrifying elements, exaggerated language, and half-truths is causing anxiety, mental stress, and issues like panic attacks among viewers. Psychologists and media analysts have identified this trend as ‘sensationalism’ and are warning about its negative impacts.
How is Panic Being Created?
News channels often use the following strategies to attract viewers and increase ratings:
- Exaggerated Headlines: Hyperbolic headlines like “A Pandemic is Imminent!”, “Economy on the Path to Destruction!”, or “How Much More Blood Will the Country See?” cause many people’s heart rates to spike just from hearing them.
- Incomplete Information: Often, only the problem is amplified without showing the full context of the story or potential solutions.
- Mass Negativity: If 90% of the day’s news consists of murder, accidents, political instability, or economic disaster, it increases feelings of insecurity in people.
- Viral Panic on Social Media: False or misleading news spreads rapidly on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, terrifying people.
Impact on Mental Health
Psychiatrist Dr. says, “Many patients come to my clinic who cannot sleep after watching the news, experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath. In some cases, this turns into a panic disorder. If the media only broadcasts horrific news every day, it creates a ‘psychological trauma’ in the human mind.”
The Path to Solutions
- Media Responsibility: Maintaining balance in news presentation, focusing on solution-based reporting, and fact-checking are crucial.
- Viewer Awareness: Analyzing news, verifying information from multiple sources, and avoiding sensationalism on social media.
- Role of Regulatory Bodies: Press Councils should issue guidelines against fear-mongering content created by the media.
Conclusion
The primary role of the media is to inform, but when it spreads fear and excitement to create public panic, it becomes harmful to society. Only responsible journalism and a conscious viewership can prevent this trend. What we need is not panic, but accurate information and a positive perspective.
This report was compiled by speaking with psychologists, media analysts, and news journalists.
✍️Chowdhury Jasimuddin (Editor, Sotoprodip Patrika)