Why exactly are we panicked?

The Corona Virus has triggered panic worldwide, these tips will help you stay sane.
In any situation where there is Danger, the natural fear mechanism kicks in, and raises an alarm in the head. This alarm alerts us to safeguard ourselves. However, there could be excessive vigilance or false alarm that can go off in the head too, and no amount of reassurance will work. This can happen when you have following thought patterns.


1. Overestimation of danger: You dismiss the actual figures and think it's more likely than it is.
2. Personal vulnerability: You are convinced YOU will die of it, when specific age groups, or people with poor health status are more vulnerable.
3. Overestimation of damage: When you think the worst possible thing will happen- Death, and not the most common outcome- Recovery
4. Permanence of damage- You believe you won't recover from it, and the illness will have a permanent effect on you
5. Underestimation of coping- You dismiss the resources  or your healthy immune system with which you can deal with it effectively. You undermine the effectivity of simple techniques like hand washing.
6. Intolerance of uncertainty- You can't tolerate even one in million chance of getting the infection, and believe why take the chance?
7. Incompetence: A general belief about self which kicks in when there's an adversity that you are incapable in tough times. You might also think that you are incompetent as a parent if you don't protect your children, and can get into panic for them.
8. Excessive focus on danger: When you focus on viral videos, social media posts more than CDC and WHO fact sheets.
9. Inflated sense of responsibility: Especially for your loved ones, you may take up more responsibility than what would be functional, and it cripples you.

Besides, researching excessively on the internet from non reliable sources, too much reassurance seeking, forwarding viral videos, stocking up sanitisers and masks, completely isolating yourself all can worsen your anxiety.

Remember, Concern is helpful, Anxiety isn't. If you think your anxiety is crippling, consult a REBT-CBT therapist near you!