COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – Should you FEAR or PANIC?
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – Should you FEAR or PANIC?
For a world that was busy “sharing”, “swiping”, “liking” & “bitching”!
Here comes a generation wiping virus that has everyone in their brains “itching”!
For starters its ironical that the world was going online enjoying the realities of the virtual world but the COVID-19 smacked a sucker punch making our real lives seem merely virtual.
CORONA VIRUS, a global pandemic, a catastrophic phenomenon biologically named as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus – 2 or SARS COV – 2 is named so as it belongs to the strain of corona virus that caused the infamous SARS outbreak in 2003 in Asia again starting from China. No offence Chinese people but the cheap goods and supplies you produce may not be durable and reliable but the viruses spread from your country are surely not treatable!
On February 11 2020 the WHO and the ICTV (International Council for taxonomy of viruses) named this virus as COVID-19 meaning Corona Virus Disease 2019 to differentiate from other corona viruses. Well isn’t it the same time when our social liberal youth were busy finding the unique ways to propose their “baes” before the first valentine day of 22nd century, sadly the healthcare researchers were panicked dealing with their valentine – corona virus.
So now for the record we know that corona virus is not a new virus but genetically modified or evolved of a strain already existing. So please put all the Chinese, American, Russian or what not conspiracy theories aside circulated through innumerable messages, videos and gyan gurus online and offline.
In our animal kingdom the rules are clear – “You enter and disturb my territory we will return the favour by doing the same to you! Yes that’s right for modernization of our civilization and to fulfill our greed rather than need we cut trees, kill animals, destroyed forests, dried out all the rivers and selfishly used out the natural resources. Well did we forget we are not the only species on the planet that needs home and wants to survive?
Well we take away their homes they come to our homes, and with them they will bring their diseases as well. I listen everyday people discussing without information and knowledge, “All the scientists and progress and research is not able to kill a small virus, means that they are useless”.
Well don’t forget that science works to help healthcare needs or infections of humans. We find medicines, treatments or vaccines to diseases that happened or happens in human, how can you expect them to find a treatment for all the viruses or diseases of all the illness among all the species on this planet?
The problem is we somehow find a way to screw ourselves by our actions.
And for god sake stop quoting nostradamus for every event, or stop highlighting a fictional book written years ago for entertainment about an outbreak and don’t even think of talking about the famous “Paul the octopus” who mythically pre-judged the results of all football world cup matches.
As I observe people, I think the right question to ask is should we be afraid or panicked by the current virus situation?
Well my purely non-political, non-biased or liberal sense makes me feel we should be afraid but not panicked. Yes, they are different.
Let me put it straight to you. We are Indians the most populated country of the world with maximum no of people living per sq. feet of land. Considering that chances of community spread of infection is an obvious scenario. Adding to that a country having maximum number of subscribers on WhatsApp and Tik Tok, the chances of spreading misinformation and rumours are very high.
So as a citizen of India I do fear this virus. You know what is our problem? We want the government to make laws, we want the authorities to impose the laws, we want to change the system so that the system can change us. But the only thing we do not want is to change ourselves. If we are asked do something softly, politely or calmly we hardly care. Take for an instance the speech by Hon. PM Narendra Modi on 19th March at his favourite time of 8 pm in which he asked to practice “Janta Curfew”, a relatively psychologically acceptable and digestible word as opposed to curfew, section 144 or criminal offence!
You were simply asked to practice social distancing, self isolation and refrain from moving around and stopping the spread of virus. And just like any routine HR protocol he wanted a feedback of whether you heard and understood him by going out of your house at 5 pm and acknowledging the efforts of various people for 5 minutes by putting in his words taali baja ke, thaali baja ke, ghanti bajake.
Though many followed we had some very intelligent people making groups and doing garba, gathering together and doing aarti to god and some monks gathering in hundreds to pray for 5 minutes. Peeps do you understand social distancing?
Did you think that the corona virus has a window of 5 minutes of being non infectious for your fetishes?
Bro you are asked to practice social distancing not socializing! And worst of all we some tobacco addicts who rushed in those 5 minutes to gather their stock of “mava” as if it was a prescription to cure corona.
They say GOD BLESS AMERICA, while I say GOD HELP INDIA!
So fear of the virus and its infection seems necessary especially for us the Indians. Wash your hands, keep a mask on your face, stay away from people, don’t go out of your house or else the famous Hindi movie dialogue suggests – “nahi to Corona aa jayega”. And in case you feel cough, cold or fever please don’t self medicate meet a registered medical doctor or the SVP Hospital or Civil Hospital. It’s time to change your perceptions people.
But the second part of the question – Do we need to panic?
The answer no never, never, ever, ever….
The same way you dare not speak against India’s favourite News anchor on his show! As a psychiatrist in my OPD I see three forms of rising problems in the society.
The first are people with pre-existing mental health issues which has worsened due to the current anxious scenarios like increased panic episodes among patients with anxiety issues, increased washing or cleanliness among patients with OCD, or increased mood swings among patients with depressive illnesses. I understand your situation. I know that you are already fighting the demons and the chaos that was there in your mind and the instability currently makes you feel out of control. Wait! I am coming to the preventive measures to help you.
The second category are those special people who consider this time as a vacation as a holiday. My only take on you is bro you are watching porn, playing PUBG, binging on streaming apps, smoking joints or showing your rebellion to your elders to show you are grown up, while this corona virus catastrophe actually wants youth like you to Show up. Take your responsibility, don’t create a nuisance in your house. Meet an expert and contribute your part by educating at least 2 new people about the virus from today.
The third category are previously asymptomatic people or so called emotional people who suddenly are panicked of being infected by virus. A talk about corona, a thought about cough, a vigil to self isolate creates a sense of insecurity and anxiety like never before and takes you to a stage of panic. your negative thoughts everyday will isolate you from your real self, your anxiety will actually isolate you from the society, the infection may not be as fatal but the mental health effects may turn out to be detrimental.
Remember the panic arises out of vulnerabilities or insecurities inside your mind and less due to the atmosphere outside. There is minimum we can do right now about the external atmosphere which is finding a cure to the virus but we need to work up on our inner self. Improve our coping skills, differentiate automatic negative thoughts with actual realization of condition. It’s not you but your brain chemicals and ruminations disturbing you. don’t let it win over. Let’s see if my simple steps help the people.
STEP 1 – Understand the problem
Which for now is a microscopic virus with high infection potential. Acknowledge that Coronavirus is a global phenomenon affecting everyone and stop internalizing the event up to you.
Step 2 – Gather the right information
Read about the steps to prevent infection available almost every day by health ministry in local language news papers. Read about this on the WHO website but mind it do it only once a day. Be rightly and adequately informed.
STEP 3 – Prevent over analysis
Do not search on Google, forwards on wats app, or circulate on social media apps information in the name of experts. This problem is a just a part of your life this is not your whole life. Give it attention only that makes you aware not ill. I personally feel too much of analysis leads to paralysis. So stop it now.
STEP 4 – Identify the negative thought pattern that interferes your logical thinking
Yes, negative thoughts can hijack your brain to function in an unwanted way. Yes, I do believe that we cannot control out thoughts, just accept them and learn to live with them. We definitely can change our reactions to the thoughts though. the negative thought can create uneasiness but your reaction to it will create the panic. Keep a thought diary, write down your daily thoughts and highlight only the pleasing, positive thoughts of the day in it. Read them aloud and repeatedly and see your thought pattern adjust slowly.
STEP 5 – All the friends and relatives of panicked people do not joke about them nor suppress them with anger.
You can reassure, educate and support. If your guidance and my steps do not work consult a psychiatrist nearest to you immediately.
We all love to meet people and socialize and interestingly so does this virus. The only way we can stop it is by not allowing to infect other people. If you isolate yourself, you isolate the virus and it dies its natural death. Let’s be vigilant and responsible.
Remember this the fight is you against yourself rather than you against the virus if you win your own battle the virus will die its own death.
#StayHomeSaveLives
