The outbreak of the Coronavirus has touched the world at a
rapid pace. Countries have shut down, and borders have closed. Shops and other
commerce has either slowed or temporarily shut down. People are advised to stay
inside or social distance with a group of close family members, leaving the
streets as quiet as can be. The fear of the unknown regarding the virus has
left the world at a standstill, as people of the world must wait for answers
and further solutions. People are closely tuning into their media outlets for
answers, only to find that the virus is growing stronger.
For
many people, the pandemic and its coverage by the media has surely sparked some
fears and anxieties about what is to come. This pandemic has mimicked to some, what the apocalypse must encompass, with certain groups finding it necessary to
loot favourite stores or break the rules and play nine holes with 40 of their friends on a closed golf course. The coverage of the pandemic has changed
certain mentalities about its severity, but also the fear of
the unknown has caused some people to disregard safety measures. People have
continued to congregate around grocery stores or essential services, as people
hurry to collect enough supplies for what they assume is enough, often taking
too much of what they need and leaving nothing for others. This was evidenced by
the disappearance of toilet paper and disinfectants at most grocery stores early
on in the quarantine period.
The virus has created an individualist mentality of every
person for themselves. As a society, this type of mentality will not get us
through the virus, and people seem to be giving up on the world’s ability to
overcome this pandemic. People have sold their life savings through the stock
market, only to see the stock market begin to dramatically grow again, another
example of the catastrophic apocalypse thinking people have adopted regarding
the virus. It is hard to see the effects of this thinking right now, but once
we survive the outbreak of the virus, society will be faced with new problems. There will be massive financial burdens for those who impulsively bought and sold
goods/stocks, but also mental health concerns for a majority of the population
just from social isolation and the anxiety of the virus.
With
all the time people have endured quarantine, this time could
be devoted to physical activity outside. The times may seem tough for many, but
why not take the time to consider doing some physical activity to possibly pass
the time, or even improve one’s mood. Perchtold-Stefan et al (2020) had results
that linked habitual physical activity to cognitive reappraisals of stressful
situations, more specifically, more physical activity was linked to more
positive reappraisals of stressful situations. These results did not extend to
the quantity of cognitive reappraisals an individual has after habitual
physical activity. Cognitive reappraisals involve having an individual
re-evaluate or change one’s perception of a stressful event. For example, reappraisals
may involve an individual trying to think differently about a stressful
situation, such as viewing exam stress as positive rather than negative.
You still have the great outdoors, and the weather is
getting nicer, so use this time to do healthy activities for the mind such as:
- Taking a nice walk with just yourself, close family, and/or the family pet
- Go for a run or jog
- Play sports with people in your quarantine circle, like catch or road hockey
People
who are overwhelmed by the virus should take advantage of the possible benefits
of physical activity, to clear their minds of stress. The more people
re-evaluate the situation, seeing the virus as an issue, but one not impossible
to overcome, will hopefully resonate with many feeling like this virus is the
apocalypse. The mechanisms of one’s mental health are not put on hold during a
pandemic, instead they are consistently still there with the added pressures of
the virus. We must continue to maintain similar lifestyles as before, with this
period being a time for temporary adaptation. This means taking the time to
take care of our bodies, both physically and mentally will prove vital in
combating the virus. Keeping the body physically healthy , also contributes to a
healthy mind. If people adopt a new mindset regarding the virus, one that is
more positive and optimistic about the future, the peak of the virus may not be
as catastrophic. People will be more likely to adopt social distancing measures
and the virus might come to a halt sooner than later. It is up to the citizens
of the world to dictate the course of this virus, but by keeping a healthy
positive mind, we may be through soon enough. Our world needs to show the
resiliency that humans are born with and overcome this virus together.
This virus will pass, but in the mean time, stay safe everyone, and take care of each other.
Maloney, P., & Brown, D. (2020, April 8). This photo of a Costco lineup sparked viral frustration in London. Did it show the full story? Retrieved from https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/this- photo-of-a-costco-lineup-sparked-viral-frustration-in-london-did-it-show-the-full-story
Perchtold‐Stefan, C. M., Fink, A., Rominger, C., Weiss, E. M., & Papousek, I. (2020). More habitual physical activity is linked to the use of specific, more adaptive cognitive reappraisal strategies in dealing with stressful events. Stress and Health: Journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/10.1002/smi.2929
