Mental Health, Media & the Election

My purpose in this video is to remind us to protect our mental health, our physical health and our relationships this election season.

We have a natural impulse to pay attention to danger. News networks and social media take advantage and profit from this instinct.

Here in the US, we are facing five months of what can be highly stressful. Some will have an increase in anxiety, depression, anger and addictive behaviors including news addiction and internet addiction.

If we care about lowering toxic exposures, lowering our stress response and thus inflammation, then these next five months offer a great opportunity. If we care about setting healthy boundaries between ourselves and the negative or self-serving energy of others, these next five months are a great time to strengthen our boundaries.

In this video, I discuss:

- What is happening in our body and brain when we engage with fear-inducing content.

- Media literacy reminds us what we easily forget when we’re under the influence of media that aims to get and keep our attention.

- How the echo chamber of news and social media is rewiring our brains, and reinforcing left-brain tendencies.

- What we can do to lower our exposure and it’s impacts, and..

- How we can call in the right hemisphere while doing our part to better the world we’re actually living in.

To learn more about this and other factors contributing to brain symptoms or to receive these newsletters in your mailbox each week, visit www.CourtneySnyderMD.com

Related Content:

Left and Right Brain: Knowing When to Call in the Other Half

Undermethylation & Strengthening the Right Brain in a Left Brain World

Medical Disclaimer:

This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.

[edyt.]

Thank you Dr. Snyder, good parenting is very important. I used to tell my students that told me that their parents do not have time to be involve in productive learning activities at home: if you dad or mom have time to watch tv shows/ movies/ football games etc. For sure they will have time for you.

[edyt.]

Thank you again for educating people! Many blessing!!!

[ShakedownSeven]

You know I really appreciate your perspectives. I don’t think we have functional psychiatrists in Canada which is a shame.

Here in Canada they just blacked out our media (Facebook news) before they started jacking up interest rates and bankrupting undesirable people. I think a lot of people go online to try and find some justice in a very corrupt state which is a sad waste of time. For me I keep my focus on all the emerging science as it’s just incredible what’s at our finger tips; however, I understand perfectly what it’s like to despise a corrupt government. I watched them jack my moms interest rates up up in the 90’s and steal everything from us, I’ve had corrupt cops try and have me commit crimes (I work at the government) and when I turned it around on them they just started lying and they are incorrigible liars. For me I see how mental illness is created by this very sick society of greed/jealousy and I understand peoples frustration, but you’re right, we can be the arbiter of our own destiny only it’s much harder for some people. It’s easier to forgive than to forget.

[khammers]

I know I went crazy during the last two elections. So this information is really helpful! Thank you very much.

[DennisBolanos]

Dr. Snyder; my psychiatrist talked to me about the importance of resolving—rather than suppressing—negative emotions. She said that some activities (like gaming) suppress negative emotions which, sooner or later, resurface. How do we know when an activity resolves or suppresses our emotions? 🃏🎱🎲