Dr. Marc Siegel is not only a practicing internist, but also an associate professor and a journalist - he's a regular contributor to The News' Body & Soul section. In his new book, "False Alarm" (Wiley. $24.95), Siegel explores the U.S.'s media-driven culture of fear, its effects on physical health and how Americans can cope within it.

In the book, you speak of the American public's "Fear Epidemic." What are we so afraid of and why is it so unhealthy to be scared?

We are afraid of potential health threats as well as terrorism. Fear as a biological response is meant to protect us. We inherit it from our animal forebears and it is intended to keep us from harm by triggering a reaction to imminent danger. But today's perceived threats are overpersonalized, and we live with an increased level of stress hormones, which wear our bodies down.

Was this fear epidemic created by Sept. 11 or was it around before? What has changed since Sept. 11?

It has always been a human tendency to overreact to perceived threats. This tendency has increased at times of great stress or societal upheaval. Since Sept. 11 there has been a much greater sense of vulnerability, especially in New York and Washington, but elsewhere in the U.S. as well. This feeling of susceptibility has led to a pattern of overreaction to each threat, from anthrax to smallpox to SARS to flu to terrorist bombs. The mechanisms for overreaction have become part of our culture, to the point where we can't tell a real threat from an exaggerated one.

Does the culture of fear exist only in the U.S.? What about England or Spain, where there have also been recent terrorist attacks?

The fear epidemic is more prominent in the U.S. because Europe lived through both World Wars and had their cities bombed daily. Many of their older citizens remember those times and how they learned not to overreact. They set good examples now.

Who is making us scared and who is taking advantage of our fear?

Great question. The currency of terrorism is fear, not bombs. But it is not only terrorists who benefit. Politicians get more votes if we believe that only they can protect us, drug manufacturers sell more medicines if we are afraid to do without their products, and cable news gets more sponsors if we are glued to our TVs thinking that the news of a bomb thousands of miles away is somehow crucial to our safety here.

Isn't it positive to take precautions sometimes? How can we tell if news reports are hype or real enough to take action?

Precautions are wise at times. Humans have the ability to assess risk, but this ability has been damaged by the overhyped information we receive. We have to learn perspective, and the news media can provide more balance by distinguishing between potential and actual threats, and providing followup and acknowledgment when a supposed danger is found to be nonexistent.

How can we shed the fear that has crept into our every day life? Would shutting out the media make us calmer? And is fear something that we can really control?

We can control fear by learning to control its triggers. We can start by not obsessing on risk. We can learn to view media reports in context and without excess attention. We can control fear by keeping to our daily routines - eating, sleeping, exercising regularly, and expressing healthier emotions like love and courage. Each step away from false worry is a step toward true health.

What should people tell their children about fear and terrorism?

Children know more than parents think they do. After the London attacks, many children heard about the bombings while at camp and they were curious. It is not a good idea to evade children's questions. Children should be informed, but they should also learn that they are not in any direct danger. Most children can understand that something bad has happened, but that it only affects a small number of people and it is not a direct threat to them. Emphasize that your children are safe - that they are not in danger. Be a good role model by not acting worried. If you don't want your children to be afraid then learn not to be afraid yourself.  

Originally published on August 10, 2005

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Copyright © 1990-2007 Marc K. Siegel, M.D.