NORTH’S HEALTH BLOG

Pick up a newspaper or magazine, turn on the radio or TV, and it won’t be long before some medical expert tells you we’re all going to die. Coming out fast and furious are hundreds of medical surveys, all full of doom and gloom.

It appears we are infatuated with our health. One reason why could be that we seem to be living longer. Whether this is really true or not, time will tell – if we’ve survived the bugs and viruses and experts to be still around. Of course, we can’t blame the scientists – I suppose. They are paid to do this research or that, and they naturally publish their results.

The problem comes when it gets to the ratings hungry media. The best way to ‘flog’ news today is to do it sensationally, and this is what they do with otherwise sober medical reports. Taking the worst case scenario, and adding a ghoulish soundbite, they’re sure to get our attention. But from there, it’s down to you.

Once upon a time there was a concept called commonsense. Everyone used to use it and it kept us from fantasizing the worst. Today, the concept is no longer common and has no sense, so we swallow the inflated news with a sip of water and worry.

Yes, of course, we do face medical threats, and when they appear they should be reported. But we really must learn to stop panicking at every scare story the media inflates. If not, we will become a nation of hypochondriacs.

© Anthony North, Jan 2007