It is, of course, necessary to know what is going on in the world. Awareness is part of being a responsible citizen, a conscious creator, and an engaged human being. Turning away from reality does not serve anyone. We need to understand global events, corruption, injustice, and the forces shaping our societies. But there is a profound difference between being informed and being immersed. In today’s digital ecosystem, especially on platforms like YouTube, many content creators capitalize on major events, such as the release of the Epstein files or other high-profile scandals, to generate traffic and grow their audiences. Instead of sober analysis or constructive dialogue, what often emerges is a flood of sensationalized content: endless speculation, disturbing deep-dives, aggressive commentary, and thumbnails designed to shock. Blood-red text. Distorted faces. Demonic symbolism. Images of criminals, predators, vampires, shadowy figures. This is not accidental. Shock sells. Fear spreads. Outrage clicks. But at what cost?

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The Psychological Cost of Dark Imagery

          We are visual creatures. The human brain processes images far faster than text; some studies suggest in as little as 13 milliseconds. Visual input directly influences our emotional state because images activate the amygdala, the brain’s threat-detection center, often before the rational mind has time to interpret what we are seeing. When we repeatedly expose ourselves to disturbing iconographies such as aggressive faces, violent symbols, demonic imagery, graphic details, we activate stress responses. Cortisol levels rise. The nervous system shifts toward vigilance. Even subtle cues, such as color choices (deep reds, stark blacks), sharp contrasts, and distorted facial expressions, can signal threat and heighten arousal.

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          Neuroscience shows that repeated exposure to emotionally charged content strengthens neural pathways associated with those emotions. This is a function of neuroplasticity: the brain rewires itself based on repeated experience. “Neurons that fire together wire together.” When we continually consume outrage, fear, and darkness, we reinforce those emotional circuits. Over time, this can lead to heightened anxiety, increased cynicism, emotional desensitization and a skewed perception that the world is overwhelmingly dark. We begin to live in the frequency of what we consume.

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       When people speak of “dark frequencies” or “quantum resonance,” they are often using metaphorical language to describe something very real: emotional contagion and environmental influence. While the term “quantum resonance” is not used in neuroscience to describe image perception, the metaphor points to an observable phenomenon: humans resonate emotionally with what they repeatedly focus on. Research in psychology shows that emotions are contagious. We unconsciously mimic facial expressions and emotional tones we see, even in images. This activates corresponding neural circuits in our own brains. Mirror neuron systems help us simulate the emotional state portrayed in others, even when those “others” are photographs or video thumbnails.

In practical terms: if you repeatedly look at images of aggression, fear, darkness, or horror, your nervous system subtly aligns with those states. That alignment is “tuning into a frequency.” It is biological. Attention sculpts the brain. What we attend to becomes more neurologically dominant. Our inner world begins to mirror our outer visual diet. Our brain gets re-wired…

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The Attention Economy and Manufactured Darkness

          Creators who flood the internet with disturbing imagery understand one thing very clearly: attention is currency. YouTube’s algorithm rewards engagement. Strong emotional reactions, especially outrage and fear, generate comments, shares, and watch time. The more shocking the thumbnail, the more likely someone is to click. The more graphic or conspiratorial the content, the longer people may stay. But this creates a feedback loop. Dark events occur, creators amplify the most disturbing elements, then audiences consume and emotionally react. Algorithms reward the intensity, and even darker content is produced. What begins as “staying informed” can easily slide into obsession with the grotesque. And here lies the danger: dwelling in darkness does not dismantle it. It reinforces it psychologically.

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WARNING:

Our thoughts are electrical impulses imprinting reality!

Remember the law of attraction… we attract to ourselves the frequencies that our mind broadcasts into the ether.

Our minds create our own reality; our thoughts have the power to re-write the holographic matrix of reality.

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Being Aware Without Absorbing

          It is possible and necessary to stay informed without saturating ourselves in the darkest details. We can read balanced reporting instead of watching sensationalized commentary, limit exposure time, avoid graphic or emotionally manipulative imagery, refuse to click on thumbnails designed to shock. Attention is creative energy. Where we place it matters. The question is not whether darkness exists - it does. The question is whether we must repeatedly rehearse it in our minds.

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The Rewiring Power of Positive Imagery

       Just as negative imagery can condition stress pathways, positive imagery can strengthen networks associated with safety, empathy, and hope. Research in neuroplasticity and positive psychology shows that viewing images of nature lowers cortisol and reduces stress. Seeing warm facial expressions activates areas associated with trust and bonding. Exposure to uplifting or prosocial content increases feelings of connection and motivation to act constructively. Studies on compassion, gratitude and positive visualization demonstrate that intentionally focusing on positive stimuli strengthens neural circuits linked to well-being. Even brief daily exposure to calming or inspiring imagery can shift mood and perception over time. In other words, we can consciously choose what rewires us. If we fill our visual field with beauty, creativity, light, and solutions-oriented action, we cultivate those internal states. This does not deny reality; it builds resilience.

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        Instead of endlessly dissecting dark events, we can ask: what constructive action can I take? How can I contribute to systems of integrity? How can I support transparency, justice, and reform? What positive alternatives can I amplify? Real change is not born from compulsive doom-scrolling. It emerges from grounded, focused, solution-oriented engagement. Creators, too, have a responsibility. Imagine if instead of demonic thumbnails and aggressive iconography, channels used imagery representing justice, clarity, and renewal. Imagine if the dominant visual language online was one of empowerment rather than fear. Visual culture shapes collective psychology. We cannot control every event in the world. But we can control what we amplify in our own nervous system. Awareness is necessary. Obsession is optional. We do not need to tune ourselves to darkness to confront it. In fact, we are far more effective when we are steady, clear, and internally aligned with the world we want to build.

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Let us stay informed but not hypnotized.

Let us acknowledge injustice but not internalize its vibration.

Let us refuse to spread imagery that glorifies corruption, demons, predators, or horror.

Instead, let us fill our fields, digital and physical, with symbols of creativity, integrity, compassion, and light.

Because what we repeatedly look at shapes who we become.

And the world we build tomorrow will reflect the frequencies we choose to cultivate today.

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Article by Elena Danaan