CLEVELAND, OH (CLEVELAND CLINIC) - From podcasts to TV series, the true crime genre has taken off in popularity. But how can too much true crime impact our mental health?
Psychologists say your view of the world can easily change if you're constantly consuming grisly murder stories. Watching too much true crime may cause you to become overly wary of others – even people you've known and trusted for a long time. At home, true crime fans may find themselves triple-checking their locks at night and not being able to fall asleep. These feelings of heightened anxiety can lead to isolation, which is not good for our overall mental health. Doctors stress moderation is key when it comes to true crime, and it's important to recognize if you need a break.
"Notice when you've had too much. If you're more than hypervigilant, if your anxiety is increased, if you're fearful of leaving your home, if you start to isolate and you're thinking more about the true crime than you think about anything else – it's time to take a break," suggested Dr. Chivonna Childs, Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Childs urges people to explore different genres as well as other activities and hobbies to help them limit true crime content if needed.
