How or when did physicians move from being teachers and healers who comfort and ease fear and pain to fear-inducing informational social media establishments?

I am a huge fan of sharing information and using tools and technology to do so with a larger audience. After all, our office or operating room are no longer the only venue where we can impact patients.

However, why have so many turned to fear-inducing videos, posts, blogs, and podcasts? We can all share information to teach, guide, and help people in their journey of health and wellness, but we have now become the 90-second fear-inducing “I am a physician, and I would never eat, drink, or do this” or “don’t use this, don’t eat this” on repeat ad nauseam.

Why does this tactic matter? Because it is a negative and fear-inducing message. It scares people when a physician starts going down the laundry list of things that will harm, kill, cause cancer, and shorten lifespan. We no longer know what to do or eat; all we know is that everything stated is harmful. It keeps us in a state of fear instead of calm and ease.

It is like telling a kid, “Don’t run or you are going to fall,” instead of “Please walk slower.” Guess what will happen in the first one? They will fall because it is a fear-inducing and negative message, and that is what you are putting attention to—the fall. Instead, if you say “walk slower,” it will help focus on them walking slower, which is what you were hoping to achieve.

So perhaps it is better to stop telling children what not to do (instead, tell them what to do). Let’s stop the fear-mongering tactics on social media and instead share information to guide people on better alternatives and explain why. Isn’t that what our role was? To figure out what has gone wrong and guide with love, information, and a plan back to wellness instead of inducing the fear cascade. Understanding the detriments to our health when we live in fear is essential.

I understand fear incites clicks, shares, and likes, but are we so addicted to the dopamine rush that we will default to that tactic instead of the alternative? Is it addiction to dopamine that drives this? Is it that we believe a follower or share count measures our worth, so we will chase it no matter what the actual impact on others is?

The reality is that you will not feel any less lonely, happy, or fulfilled whether you have 1,300 or 250,000 followers. Your ego will think and believe otherwise, but when you truly examine the difference, it will not change your inherent worth.

We are worthy regardless of our outside medals, titles, or follower count, yet our society has engrained that all worth is tied to the external.

Whatever the motivation—whether unconscious or conscious, dopamine- or worth-mediated—I wonder why we have strayed to this place.

Let’s return to our roots as physicians and still share our expertise by sharing information without inciting fear; we can ease pain and suffering.

Let’s heal and teach instead.

Diana Londoño is a urologist and can be reached on Twitter @DianaLondonoMD.