The relatively new expression “fake news” continues to work its way into increasingly more conversations these days, prompting a closer look at what exactly constitutes “fake news,” and how claiming something is fake (when it is in fact real) impacts our overall mental health. Is something “fake” when it actually does not exist (enter unicorns and eternal life), or do things become “fake” simply because we don’t like the truth? These days, it seems like we are attributing the word “fake” increasingly more when we simply disagree with something, but is that a healthy approach to life? Any reputable mental health clinician will promptly affirm that labeling something as fake when it is, indeed, genuine constitutes a form of denial (a psychological defense mechanism) — and denying reality negatively impacts human development and mental health. So while passively calling out that something is “fake” may seem harmless, the reality is denying truth may lead to more long-term mental health concerns than you might imagine.
Calling things “fake” is easy, but dangerous
During tough periods and times of distress, it is normal for us to search for answers to our problems. Often when we learn why things are as they are, an easy way to get through the moment is to ignore the new information, or these days, simply call it “fake.” This approach, while seemingly easy, actually sets us up for even bigger future issues and problems. To dismiss everything you don’t want to hear away as fake may temporarily alleviate the problem, but it also stops us from proactively working on the things that need attention in our lives. By shifting away any self-responsibility onto others and claiming everything is “somebody else’s fault,” we are engaging in denial, and consequently only worsening our situation.
Engaging in denial is not healthy, nor is it a strategic choice when trying to improve mental health and experience greater life satisfaction and success. When we dismiss reality, we lose meaning in life, especially the nuance associated with interactions with people, situations, and life experiences. Denial makes us vulnerable to cognitive errors, displaced aggression, and turning otherwise good people into bad. Furthermore, denial can prompt unhealthy cathartic expression by means of hate speech, as well as discrimination — things we might not do had we exercised critical thinking and taken a moment to properly understand the news we are consuming.
Only when we look at things fairly and objectively can we begin to make appropriate attributions, and then develop the behavioral steps necessary to help us improve upon our situation. Similar to framing a house, if we do not properly frame the challenges we experience in life, you can be almost certain that the house will fall the moment we experience more stress. Ignoring reality and dismissing things as fake can lead to real problems, especially in cases dealing with serious life issues, like healthcare concerns or economic distress. Calling problems “fake” won’t improve your health, nor will it pay off your bills. Sadly, when problems (predictably) compound by ignoring them, we then become vulnerable to more frustration, and often make even more decisions out of emotion rather than logic. Fortunately, none of these things have to happen when we accept reality — even when it isn’t good.
Final thoughts
The next time you are on the verge of saying that something is fake, try to ask yourself if what you are seeing really is artificial (i.e. big foot), or simply something you don’t want to believe (i.e. interest rates are rising again!). Granted, there are certainly fake things out there (especially on the internet), but to start from a place of assuming all bad news is fake is not based in reality, nor is it healthy. Avoid denial by accepting reality, even when the news doesn’t go in your favor.
drstankovich.com
