I stopped reading Cosmo and other similar magazines close to a decade ago. It was a combination of things. As a student taking mass comm and psychology courses, I began to learn how to read between the cultural and patriarchal lines. I also became more aware of how absorbing that kind of information made me feel. I hadn’t yet linked my poor self esteem to my anxiety but once I started eliminating the reinforcements that I wasn’t good enough, the connection became clear and empowering.
That stuff can be toxic. It’s easy to get wrapped up in how to be a prettier, slimmer, more desirable version of yourself. I’ve just started to realize that if I have different versions of myself, I’m obviously creating them out of fear that the real version isn’t good enough. Feeling defected is the source of my anxiety.
At the same time I quit reading the “fix me” girl/women magazines, I also stopped using tabloid magazines and gossip shows as my mindless, guilty pleasure. The misleading reality of those platforms are built to feed the culture of judging one another. Tabloids are created to permit permission to judge. Judgement houses anxiety for me.
I’ve given up on watching the news. The news, in all its forms, is the worst offender.
Watching it leaves me feeling dirty. Obtaining votes and spotlighting all that is wrong with the world seems to be only goal. Distorting information with fear is dangerous.
The media, in just about every form, has become so intoxicated with greed. Anxiety has become the most profitable tool to make you second guess your instincts. The you’re not enoughs and the constant “become a better version of yourself” propaganda just keeps getting in the way. It sends me looking in all the wrong directions.
The dogmatic, provoking static that has become the media only increases one’s anxiety. I already tend to have that voice in the back of my head that creeps in challenging my self worth. I don’t need any more noise adding fuel to the fire.
This has been prompted by the Daily Prompt: A Source of Anxiety
http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/12/09/source-of-anxiety/
W.T.F. 
Thank you
You’re welcome?? Not sure I deserve such a sweet, simple comment but I’ll take it.
I’ve never been one to read Cosmo, besides from the few we could smuggle into summer camp when I was in middle and high school, or when I’m at the nail/hair salon since that’s usually all there is. It’s true, they are complete trash and unrealistic. Let your guy friends read the “guy-advice” section and you’ll quickly discover exactly how unrealistic they are. They all told me, “Ashley, don’t ever do ANY of this to ANY guy – EVER.” My defining moment in deciding to never touch one again came a few months ago. I remember reading something about sending your guy a text suggested in the magazine because it would, “make him think of you all day.” Seemed harmless enough so I copied it word-for-word. He didn’t talk to me for three days because he thought I was breaking up with him!
Never again.
Too funny. The topics in those magazines are not “for” women. We don’t need to learn how to give the worlds best bj…we need to know how to get out of giving them! The plastic that is the media is nauseating. Thanks for reading and glad to see I’m not the only one.
The last tabloid type magazine I recall reading with any interest was one of about 200 I had purchased with Johnny Depp on the cover. (21 Jump Street Days)… *snorks* oh … Sighs* he was dreamy.
I’ve brought the newspaper about 2 times in my life – to get the preschooler photos out that our community does each year – one time for each of my children.
I’m sure there have been other times I have read occasionally.. but its been a number of years since the last time I think.
I also do not watch the news on the TV (and not just because I have cut off cable and refused to hook my system up for free to air)
My primary reasoning, is that there is rarely anything good in it, and why on earth would I want to make myself feel bad on purpose. Things can be challenging enough!
The news causes anxiety attacks I swear. Plus I can’t ever get bad images of hurt kids out of my head so I just avoid it all together. Oooooo johnny depp! Mmmmm.