Fear is fear.
Fear of the virus is fear.
Fear of conspiracy is fear.
Your mentality, your beliefs, and your consciousness all affect your physiology.
And fear is the silent killer.
This is a well studied topic, and there is a very clear, scientific reason behind this that I will get into towards the end of this blog.
When you’re arguing with someone about their disbelief in the seriousness of COVID, you’re likely arguing with someone who is fearful of the government stripping them of their liberties. This includes people concerned with conspiracy theories. Yes, this includes the protesters gathering en masse against the lock down.
On the other hand, when you’re arguing with someone about the “facts and statistics” of COVID, you’re likely arguing with someone who is fearful of the virus killing them or those they love. That is the most primal of fears, the fear of death. Something most of us can relate to.
Trying to force others into your version of fear will not help anything.
Yes, media is driven by fear. Historically, this has always been the case. It gives them higher ratings. This is a natural phenomena. People have a morbid sense of comfort knowing the worst possible things that could happen. Choose your news sources wisely, and if you catch yourself becoming too absorbed in it, try making a point to put down your phone, turn off the television and go outside.
This virus is obviously real and we must take it seriously, if not for ourselves, for others. Wear a mask when you go to indoor, public spaces.But understand that these precautions are put into place to MINIMIZE exposure; it is next to impossible to eliminate exposure 100%.
I believe that the best thing we can do for ourselves is to keep a level head.
We must:
- Know our resources, count our blessings and not our misfortunes.
- Move our bodies, take plenty of walks and drink ample water.
- Look after our neighbors and fellow humans.
- Be willing to adapt; know that for the most part, facts do not exist.
We are learning about this virus in real time. It will be years before we see actual statistics, and even still, they likely will not reflect the reality of the situation due to our lack of access to tests, the efficacy of the tests themselves, and at that, our inability to test every single being in the US.
No one has the answers when it comes to this virus and the power behind it.
Not you, not I. Let that sink in and humble yourself.
The immune system helps you fight attacks on the inside. The adrenal system helps you fight attacks from the outside.
When we perceive an external threat, the body releases stress hormones. The stress hormones take the energy of the body and stops funding the functions that are not helping you outrun the external threat. Blood is preferentially sent to your extremities to help you fight or run away from the threat. Stress hormones shut down the immune system.
In other words: FEAR FEEDS THE VIRUS.
Humans are built to be adaptable. We are incredibly resilient. Honor your own resiliency, find comfort in what you CAN do to help yourself and have compassion for those who do not see it your way.