We call it “existential dread,” and pandemics generate a lot of it. It is driven by fear of the unknown, but not just any unknown. This fear emerges when one’s way of life and the well-being of oneself and loved ones feel under assault; in this case, from a pathogenic adversary we don’t yet fully understand.
The scaffolding we build our lives around—relationships, jobs, family, finances, lifestyle, daily habits—begins to feel frail and vulnerable. A sense of losing control further escalates this dread. Most of us don’t like losing control.
Thankfully, there are actions we can take to push back against this dread, ones that will restore some measure of personal power and, more notably, hope. Existential dread is an enemy to hope. So, let’s consider a few of those actionable approaches.
Stay Connected
We are social animals, and, when under duress, we need each other more than ever. While social distancing inhibits person-to-person interaction, our digital age, often maligned for its negative impacts, affords opportunities to connect in ways previous generations never enjoyed. Reach out to others. Express your concern. Share your worries. Encourage one another. Research shows these actions reduce anxiety, soothe dread, remind us we are not alone in facing our fears and restore a modicum of hope.
Beauty of Nature
If able, spend more time in nature. Absent human contact, there is no risk of contagion from the coronavirus. Eco-psychology has identified myriad benefits of mindful immersion in the natural world. Contact with nature reduces the stress response, elevates mood, conveys experiences of beauty, awe and wonder (think hope) and even enhances the body’s immune response. To paraphrase Walt Whitman, when all else seems to abandon us in life, nature remains.
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Be Mindful
Continue, resume or begin a contemplative practice, such as meditation, journaling or centering prayer. These approaches, particularly mindfulness meditation, lower stress, reduce emotional reactivity and ground one’s moment-to-moment awareness in the present. Dread, by its nature, hijacks our thoughts, propelling them into an uncertain and seemingly dangerous future. By spending more mental time in the here and now, we reduce “what if?” thinking and the dark ruminations it engenders.
Pause the News Cycle
Limit your exposure to news media. Dread motivates us to learn as much as we can about what we’re up against. To a point, this knowledge is useful and can help us reduce the risks we all face. But, beyond that, excessive information is counter-productive. Rather than assuaging our fears, it stokes them, sometimes leading to catastrophizing. Not helpful.
Remember Gratitude
Practice gratitude. I know, that sounds counter-intuitive, but research shows otherwise. Consider keeping a gratitude journal. Each morning, write down one thing you are grateful for in your life overall. Each evening, record one happening from that day for which you feel grateful. This practice reduces something called “negative cognitive bias,” the perceptual tendency to only see what is bad while ignoring what is good. Now, more than ever, we need to remind ourselves of the good in our lives.
Reduce Worry
Speaking of journals, another helpful one is called a “worry journal.” Catastrophizing creates a cycle of worry that repeats the same scary scenarios over and over. One way to reduce worrying is to take a few minutes each day to write down these repetitive ruminations, rather than simply allowing them to hold the mind hostage. Studies show that worrying on paper reduces worrying in one’s psyche. By externalizing our worst fears, we feel more control over them.
Be Creative
Expressive and creative pursuits also help. For whatever reason, when we create something with our hands, it calms the mind by focusing it on an external activity rather than the ceaseless nattering of troubling thoughts. Whether it’s playing a musical instrument, knitting, woodworking, drawing or painting, writing (longhand), gardening, cooking or the like, when we create with our hands, we push back against the paralyzing impact of dread. We demonstrate to ourselves that we are not rendered helpless by fear.
Be Kind
Finally, practice acts of kindness. If you are in a position to help others, whether through comforting conversation, material support or assistance with everyday needs, now is the time. Pandemics, like other existential threats, bring out both the worst and best in our species. Kindness is among the best of things we can offer each other. Research shows that, when we extend kindness and compassion to others, our mood lifts, hope increases, and we feel less helpless in the face of adversity.
Humans are a resilient and adaptable species. We have weathered many crises, and this one will be no exception. There will be struggles, suffering and losses. But, if we master our fears, rather than the other way around, we will reach that light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel.
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