True crime media, including podcasts and short stories such as Entwined by Brian Tobin, can significantly influence a person’s mental health and behavior, often leading to increased anxiety and fear, while prolonged exposure may also contribute to changes in one’s personality, making them more desensitized or paranoid over time, or changing their state of mind to normalize crimes. True crime content, whether consumed through podcasts, movies, tv shows, and so on, has a very invisible yet harmful effect on how people think and feel -- depending on the type of person you are, of course. It can foster a heightened awareness of personal safety, as listeners and viewers become more aware of the dangers that might exist around them. For some, this …show more content…
Especially if individuals begin to feel that danger is always nearby. This phenomenon, often referred to as “mean world syndrome,” makes people believe that the world is much more dangerous than it really is. Additionally, true crime content can desensitize people to violence and suffering, making them more numb to real-life tragedies. While some viewers engage with true crime as a way of understanding criminal behavior or solving mysteries, others might experience distress or emotional fatigue. The morbid curiosity that drives true crime fandom can blur the lines between entertainment and real-life suffering, leading some to forget that these stories often involve real victims, real families, and real trauma. As a result, true crime has a complex and contradictory impact on our minds, making us both more cautious and more paranoid, while also risking emotional burnout or insensitivity. Moreover, the detailed depiction of criminal acts in such media could potentially be used as a resource by those with malicious intent. Criminals may study true crime stories to learn the mistakes of others, using the information to refine their methods or evade