“I knew it was going to rain today; it always rains when I wash my car!”, said cross Carl.
“I just read this article on deer ticks and now my neck is itching! I am sure my dog picked up ticks when she ran outside!”, said anxious Annie.
What is confirmation bias? Confirmation bias (CB) is the tendency to place more stock into information that matches what we already believe while ignoring or disbelieving contradictory evidence. For example, CB can be excruciating for medical students who begin to wholeheartedly believe that they have contracted every new disease that they study!
Confirmation bias can also affect mental health. If you are depressed or anxious, you believe that tragedy is everywhere. Watching the evening news, true crime stories, or social media “proves” what we already think is true. We are not safe! Danger is everywhere! The result is…. symptoms of anxiety and your depression increase.
How can we use CB for our own good?
Limit the amount of negative news that you watch. If you watch negative news stories (and 99.9% of them are) you will increasingly feel that the world is a treacherous place.
During the pandemic, I looked forward to the weekly installment of a web series called, “Some Good News”. John Krasinski an actor known for his roles on the Office and as Jack Ryan (among other things) created this series to help others make it through the uncertainty and darkness. John’s opening line from the first episode was something like, “We are all going through an incredibly trying time, but through all the anxiety, through all the confusion, all the isolation, and all the Tiger King, somehow the human spirit found a way to break through and blow us all away.” One segment of the show featured a 99 year old British WWII veteran named Tom Moore. Mr. Moore set out to walk 100 laps around his back garden with his walker. He wanted to raise money for COVID relief. What started out as a goal to raise 1250 dollars turned into 9 million dollars!
Feed your mind and soul with positive news, happy pet videos, baby pictures, and encouraging and uplifting stories! You may begin to develop the CB that the world is a hopeful place.
Good news can be found at….
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/
https://www.biblegateway.com/
https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/15/834831575/99-year-old-british-veteran-raises-9-million-for-health-service-by-walking-laps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5pgG1M_h_U
https://guideposts.org/
Let us know if you have more!
Blessings to you,
