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In addition to its human toll, COVID-19 is a study in the psychology of fear.
At the extreme, we find some folks captive to near hysteria. This mindset is fed by emotional hijacking combined with the suspicion that what one is being told paints a rosier picture than what’s really happening out there. Runaway, irrational fear gets people to do over-the-top things, like sequester themselves, compulsively sanitize everything, repeatedly check their temperature, wear face masks unnecessarily, hoard supplies and the like.
At the other end of this emotional spectrum reside those who downplay or dismiss any risk from a potentially lethal disease with a far higher mortality rate than influenza. Almost every major human calamity is preceded by these, “What, me worry?” types. Perhaps we will be spared a catastrophe comparable to the Spanish flu (which killed 50 million worldwide and 675,000 in the US), but being too cavalier is an invitation to suffer one.
Then, of course, there are delusional conspiracy theorists who believe this is a weaponized virus released by the Chinese. Were that so, it would be far more lethal. Another popular paranoia is that it’s media-induced hysteria designed to undermine Trump’s strongest election play, the economy. Tell that to the people who are sick and dying. Then, there are the racist thugs who have attacked Asian Americans as if they are somehow to blame for a virus. Madness. The kind that makes it challenging to remain hopeful about our species.
What most of us feel is something between measured concern and festering anxiety, and that can fluctuate based on the news of the day. But, regardless of one’s degree of disquiet, its source resides within the DNA of our species. We humans have a long, anguished and sorrowful history associated with contagion.
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Memories of the Plague
Until recently, humanity has been all but defenseless against the ravages wrought by malevolent pathogens. Even today, as virulent bacteria grow more resistant to antibiotics, we are losing the capacity to defend ourselves from the microbial menaces in our midst. And now, there’s a new one.
Deep within our collective unconscious (a subliminal bond that links us all) there remain the memories of pestilence from times past. From the Black Death that felled half of Europe’s population in the 14th century and the aforementioned Spanish flu to the epidemics of polio that swept America until vaccination began in the 1950s, we have learned the hard way what to fear.
So, when you feel that quiver of apprehension or outright jolt of fright over Covid-19, remember it erupts from a primordial place. It differs markedly from the dread of facing a predator, for example; something our ancestors did frequently. Why? Because it’s particularly unnerving to fight what you can’t see. Invisible adversaries leave us feeling defenseless.
How can we push back against irrational fear? It seems prudent to embrace two paths—one of caring connection and the other of evidence-based vigilance. Pandemics fuel social distancing and wariness toward others, which, in turn, escalate isolation and loneliness. Facing this threat without the psychological comfort of strength in numbers and a “We’re all in this together” attitude elevates fear and paranoia. Social distancing often proves necessary, but at least we possess the technology to remain engaged and connected in digital spaces, if not physical ones.
What’s more, we need to reign in our anxiety with facts. The more we know about the science (as opposed to rumors and conspiracy theories) behind COVID-19, the more control and less fear we will feel. As Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War, said, “If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.” Essentially, we need to understand both this new pathogen and how our angst toward it can lead us astray.
This disease is a tough enough adversary in its own right. We don’t need to compound the challenge by letting our fears carry the day.
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