It’s not an exaggeration to say that artificial intelligence (AI) has become a dominant force in modern culture.  What started out as simple things, like speech-to-text software, has become a mind-boggling technology that can not only analyze data but also solve problems and produce images and videos that are almost indistinguishable from actual recordings.

And there is the rub.  We’ve all seen them – those cute videos of animals doing heartwarming things. (I love the one where the elephant plays with the baby giraffe and sprays it with its trunk.  Facebook.)  

Despite their charm, virtual productions have the potential to create a serious dilemma.  They make it difficult to distinguish what is real from what is not.

Deep Fakes and Not Knowing What is Real

While it may not matter that an elephant does not really play with a giraffe, a video showing a person doing something that they did not do could have serious consequences.

In addition, AI-generated images and recordings exacerbate the already serious problem of misinformation which pervades the internet and social media.

This technology complicates the difficult task of accurate news reporting.  Beyond journalism, however,  fraudulent AI creations create false impressions in public perception or beliefs.

It is a characteristic of human nature to seek thrills.  Thus, many people are susceptible to sensational misinformation and seek it out.  Likewise, the news media understand this appetite and, in order to satisfy their viewers, often run stories that are unlikely to be true.

It’s essential to recognize that the media’s content influences us.  Misrepresentations or unsubstantiated stories often receive more attention than they deserve.  Due to their presence in the media, they appear to be real. In doing so, they create a problem of public perception. By exploiting their audience, the media stokes skepticism and further mistrust of the media.

Besides the media, politicians play on and use misinformation to promote fears and win elections. (Consider the exaggerated claims of the threats undocumented immigrants posed.)

Apart from politics, the exaggerated threats that AI-aided misinformation creates can exacerbate anxiety and depressive conditions.  Apart from those with diagnoses,  outrageous stories stoke paranoia and irrational fears in ordinary people who don’t normally suffer from anxiety and depression. Online Misinformation | Pastoral Counseling Syracuse NY

Recent Example of Deep Fakes

Incredibly, A.I. has taken online misinformation to a whole new level, to the point where discerning what is accurate and legitimate from what is fraudulent is extremely difficult.  Photographic and video deep-fakes, as they’re called, can make real people say or do anything.

Recently, a video of NBC weatherman Al Roker deep-faked him, pitching a worthless anti-hypertension device. Deepfake video of Al Roker selling blood pressure device emerges    

Additionally, an AI-generated audio of Senator Marco Rubio was sent out fraudulently, posing as him.

Even worse is when an AI “thinks” on its own. Recently, X’s chatbot, Grok, spewed an anti-semitic slur.  AI chatbot Grok issues apology for antisemitic posts – NBC Los Angeles

It’s no secret that media outlets sensationalize the news to attract viewers. In doing so, many of its stories are exaggerated, which then creates fear and panic.  Fear and panic take away a person’s ability to rationally assess and determine the validity of the images they see.

Despite the challenges, we must not give up or give in to the lies. Here are some tips to help you sort the grain from the chaff:

What comes to mind when you hear the word forgiveness ?

When one is betrayed or treated unjustly, it’s normal to feel anger and resentment.  Sometimes, however, the initial reaction doesn’t go away and the ill feelings can disrupt relationships and get in the way with living.

Religion and moral teachings have taught us that when a person is wronged, they should forgive.  Indeed, forgiveness is not only the right thing to do, but it is also good for our physical and mental health.  Forgiveness | Psychology Today 

Ironically, in spite of it benefits, for many folks, forgiveness is difficult to do.   That’s unfortunate because not forgiving and holding a grudge is detrimental to both our mental and physical health.  The Destructive Power of Resentment | Master’s Counselling Calgary 

Specifically, unrelenting resentment elevates cortisol levels, which correlate to increased emotional problems such as irritability, depression, and stress. Likewise, it’s not secret that unchecked stress levels can lead to a number of serious physical disorders How Holding a Grudge Can Hurt You

Why would something that is so obviously good be so hard to achieve?  Part of the reason forgiving is so difficult is that much of what we have been lead to believe about it is false.

For example, according to Google, forgiveness is ” a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you…”

Wrong . Understanding forgiveness as an intentional decision misconstrues its reality.  It assumes that one is able to forgive when, in fact, they may not be. Psychology  sees forgiveness as a complex process and is not a simple decision at all. Let me explain:

Recently, the news has been filled with so much violence that it’s impossible to shrug it off. As the reports from the Israeli/Iran war grow more disturbing each day, breaking news screams the shocking details of the Minnesota shootings.

Although most people aren’t directly affected by these events,  the non-stop media coverage wears away our indifference and increases our anxiety.  Indeed, a number of recent studies reveal that extended exposure to tragic news reports can cause PTSD-like symptoms.

PTSD-by-proxy includes nightmares, difficulty concentrating, increased anxiety and recurrent flashbacks of disturbing video and still images. Media Exposure and the Risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Following a Mass traumatic Event: An In-silico Experiment – PMC

Coupled with other brain research, it’s becoming clear that vicarious exposure to trauma can create neuro-pathway damage consistent with what is experienced by deployed soldiers or other trauma victims. This new evidence also provides clues for treating those who are affected by shocking stories in the media.

An update about trauma

Some people wonder how simply seeing something on television or the internet can cause symptoms that are similar to those experienced by those who actually lived through an actual trauma.

Recently, studies have expanded our understanding of what constitutes trauma.  We now know that trauma does not have to be physical to be harmful or even directly experienced.  Exposure to vivid accounts of trauma can have a similar impact on our emotions as an actual experience.

Tips for Coping

Fortunately, there are several effective tools anyone can employ to reduce the disruptive impact of panic reactions.  

The key to dealing with a PTSD reaction is to, first, calm the panic and restore the neuro-pathways to the parts of our brain which can think.  Only then can we accurately assess the seriousness of the immediate perceptions and discern from prior experience what response should be made.

Here is a brief list of things to try  if you are having problems coping with the news: Coping with the Absurd and the Horrifying Stories in the News | PastoralCounseling Syracuse NY

Over the years, attitudes about counseling as well as counseling itself have changed.  While the stigma connected to counseling may have declined, many misconceptions about it still endure.

In addition, new research has brought significant change to both how we understand and treat emotional problems.

Today, I want to update your understanding and answer some common questions that many folks have about psychotherapy.

Recently,  the release of the audio recording of Special Counsel Robert Hur’s interview of Joe Biden exposed, in painful detail, evidence of the president’s cognitive decline.  Biden’s Interview With Hur Confirms What Many Suspected – The New York Times

The tape confirmed what critics of the president had previously alleged.  Likewise, it raised a firestorm and accusations of a cover-up.  Republicans claimed that Democratic leadership conspired to keep his failing mental status from the American people.

As big as this story has been, I believe its real significance lies elsewhere.  Indeed, Joe Biden’s decline shines a spotlight on the larger issue of age-related cognitive decline.

Hopefully, the president’s situation can be a wake-up call for America.  We must start talking about this universal human problem: How to understand and deal with age-related cognitive decline that’s gone too far.

Due to its emotionally painful nature, talking about and confronting cognitive decline is often avoided.  Here are some thoughts concerning this difficult topic.

I’ve been a counselor since 1978 but I have never seen anything like what has been going on over the past few months. People are calling me in the midst of panic, worrying that they are going crazy.

Fortunately, most often, a brief examination of their situation reveals that they are quite sane.  Their panic is the result of being overwhelmed by non-stop media-hyped crises.

Specifically, people are freaking out over the impact of Donald Trump’s tariffs and Elon Musk’s chainsaw cuts.

I’m wondering if my experience as a therapist is a symptom indicative of a larger cultural problem ?

Cultural and Technological Stressors

Apart from the scary content of the news, there are two underlying factors that, taken together, explain why the news causes so much distress. 1) the decline of social connections and 2) the growing impact of distressing news delivered non-stop via smartphones.

Urbanization, characterized by declining religious and social groups, has weakened traditional social structures. Likewise, internet technology has reduced person-to-person connections. When combined, these changes have left us feeling less supported and more anxious. Americans Are Socializing Less—Is It Making Us Unhappy? – Newsweek

As our social supports have diminished, the volume of distressing news has increased. Instead of getting our news from Chet Huntley on the Six O’clock News, smartphones and computers bombard us with information throughout the day and night.

The internet and social media overwhelm people with more information than they can process. While life has always been challenging, changes in society and technology have made coping dramatically more difficult.

To make matters worse, the rhetoric in political and social media discourse has become uncivil and abusive. Profanity-laden political comments and unfiltered social media posts have increased polarization, mistrust, and emotional agitation.

Given these changes, it’s no wonder that, when disturbed by unsettling headlines, folks who have fewer places to turn for support feel more stressed.

Taking everything together, it is not surprising that a lot of people feel more depressed and anxious and less able to cope with everyday stressors.

Increasing Social Connection

With all of this in mind, what can we do ?  Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, it’s important to understand that psychotherapy, in addition to treating psychological disorders, also helps people to cope with difficult life stressors.

Besides effective stress-management techniques, people also need a human connection to manage their emotional distress.  Fortunately, there is a simple way to experience social connection.   While we can’t change culture, it is possible to create brief moments of social connection that can provide a needed lift ..   BEING PRESENT | Pastoral Counseling Syracuse, NY

For example, the next time you’re standing at the produce section at the grocery store, waiting in line at the bank, or checking out at Target, you have an opportunity to engage someone and have a connecting moment.

Finding these moments makes you feel good and is also a gift for the other person. Here are the simple steps you can use to help you feel more connected and help someone else, too.