Ease over Dis-ease
“Many of the institutions of modern society, after all, are designed to enhance our natural capacities for cooperation, by punishing non-cooperators and encouraging the rest of us to pursue even relatively mundane collective actions, like paying taxes and getting flu shots. And so, when pandemics unfold, it's not just because peculiarly aggressive pathogens have exploited passively oblivious victims or because we've inadvertently provided them with ample transmission opportunities. It's also because our deeply rooted, highly nuanced capacity for cooperative action failed.” ― Sonia Shah, Pandemic: Tracking Contagions, from Cholera to Ebola and Beyond
Earlier this week, I posted a status on my personal social media page, positing my apparent lack of panic and my inherent calmness about the whole corona virus crisis; now, pandemic. Vexed as to how and why it was, that I was so calm, and that I wasn’t out joining the masses in panic-purchasing and toilet paper hoarding. I posed the question, if I was, in fact the only person on the planet not panicked about this pandemic; stating that I was not panic-purchasing, or hoarding. That I’d already become comfortable self-isolating; so, quarantine wouldn’t be hard for me, as long as I had my dogs. And, that I’d been through so much, that by now, I didn’t feel the need to panic. In part, because after all I’ve been through, if something as inane as this dis-ease were to take me down, I’d laugh myself all the way to heaven.
The other reason, was that I have what I referred to as, “rock solid, and impenetrable faith”; knowing exactly where I’m going and being okay with that, if it does take me down. Then, in retrospect, I realized that this statement was a bit selfish. That it was good that I wasn’t panicking and that I was able to see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, but that wasn’t the case for everyone. I realized that, part of why I wasn’t panicking like others were, was because I’m trained as both, a soldier and a first responder, and have been doing crisis response of some kind for over a decade or more. Of course, I’m not going to panic. I don’t have a normal, “fight, flight, freeze response”, anymore.
This got me thinking about this special set of skills that I have, and how I could use them in this crisis. So, I created a page to connect our community members with each other; to ask for or offer help to one another. Realizing that, just because I wasn’t panicking, didn’t mean others were not. Just because I was okay with being at home, alone for a fortnight, not everyone else would be okay. And, recognizing that, not everyone has a regular income that won’t be affected by this. Not everyone has a disposable income, with which they can stock up on necessities. Not everyone has access to a vehicle or the ability to stock up on needed items, if they were to be quarantined. I created this page to help others reach out to one another, when and if it becomes necessary to do so. And, as a way of sharing information, instead of misinformation; with the intent of sharing truth, versus fear. I don’t know how effective this page will actually be, but at least it’s something. I’ve also offered my services to shop for and deliver items to people who are quarantined, and hope others will do something similar. It might not be much, but it’s more than I was doing the previous day. Hopefully, even just knowing that there is such a resource available to them, it will alleviate some people’s stress throughout this crisis.
Part of the problem with pandemics and other global crises, is that the anxiety caused by them, is often worse that crisis, itself. People hear of the crisis and panic. They search for information on the situation and are often presented with fear mongering and misinformation by both social media and mainstream media sources. This incites more fear, and anxiety, which ignites their fight, flight or freeze response. Their immediate response is usually to protect themselves and their family/friends/community; and it’s usually very dramatic. Those who can, respond by panic-purchasing and hoarding essentials. Buying shops out of supplies that others could use; that some cannot afford to buy in bulk. While these shops should be limiting the number of supplies that can be purchased by one family, at a time like this, but they don’t. They’re happy that their business is booming and aren’t questioning the purchasing; until it becomes another crisis, in itself. And then the panic ensues. The stress increases.
As the stressors worsen, the stresses on each individual increase; doing damage to their immune system, and increasing the chance of them becoming infected with the virus, if and when they come into contact with said virus. Also, if they do become infected, the stress decreases their body’s chance of fighting the virus. Add to that, not having the essentials you need to survive while you’re quarantined, and not having access to a community to reach out to, to help, and their stress increases again. If we could keep living our lives in a healthy manner; while being careful, continuing to go to the gym to keep our bodies healthy and fit, continuing to attend church to keep our spirit filled, and (both) to help us, to psychologically decrease our stressors, we could fight this thing better. Also, if we could do something to help reduce people’s stress, why wouldn’t we? Consider what you can do, to accomplish this.
One such thing; that takes no real time, effort or resources (other than access to wifi and a device to get on social media with), is the community page idea, like I created. It might never need to be used but it’s there, if it does. Just knowing that there is a community out there that cares for one another, will help to alleviate some people’s stress; decreasing their chance of getting the virus, and increasing their chances of fighting it, if they do. Other things that you can do to help; don’t panic-purchase, only buy what you need for two weeks, if you have more than that, share your resources. You can also, offer your time and services to those who are quarantined, or those who are immunocompromised; pick up and deliver food to their door (don’t go inside, don’t exchange money by hand – have them send you an e-transfer).
Volunteer with your local food banks; deliver food and essentials, to the above-mentioned population who, are also on a fixed income. Consider parents, with babies who will not survive without these essentials. Consider those; with small kids, the elderly, the ill and those with low incomes or fixed incomes, as well. If you have the resources to do so, and need work done, offer this work to those whose jobs have been effected by the pandemic, and dis-ease.
Crises like these, incite panic and create unnecessary stress that worsens the pandemic. If you’re like me, and aren’t panicking, do what you can to alleviate some of these stressors for others. Help, by spreading; information, instead of misinformation. Love, instead of fear. And compassion, instead of selfishness. And, if you have a special set of skills, as well, like myself and many of my family and friends, use them to assist in whatever way you can.