Fear increases our body’s stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, raising our blood pressure and heart rate; we start breathing faster. Even our blood flow changes—blood flows away from our heart and into our limbs, making it easier for us to elicit the fight or flight response.

Today, fear is manifest in our society. The relentless media propaganda about the pandemic has left many unable to tolerate or accept what we perceive as untruths from those who should be protecting our best interests. Thus, we lose faith in what once was a well-functioning democracy. This lack of trust has led people to highlight the wrongs and work to right them to restore confidence and stability. 

However one has perceived the disproportionate pandemic propaganda, fear has played and continues to play a massive role in most people’s responses. That is concerning because a constant state of fear creates a drastic state of health, and whether one has COVID-19 or not, the fear alone could endanger health, building suboptimal health long-term. Here is an excellent study from the National Library of Medicine on the consequences of fear.

What’s much worse than long-term fear in adults? —chronic fear in children. Children exposed to the fear they see in adults—whether parents, relatives, teachers, or others—can trigger a lifetime of mental health hardships. Just consider what children experience when adults insist on masking them all the time.

To remove ourselves from a constant state of fear and reclaim our good health, here are a few things that we can do.

1. Distraction. Go for a walk, drink herbal tea, soak in a tub, or go to the spa – anything that will distract you for at least 15 minutes per day is good.

2. Breathe. Focus on your breath. If you’re in panic mode, breathe through it. Breathe slowly and deeply to get your breath back to a normal rhythm.

3. Imagine. What is the worst thing that can happen in your fear situation? Will you have a heart attack or die? Now try thinking yourself into a heart attack or death. It’s not possible. Thus, the more you chase your fears, the more they will run away.

4. Evidence. Where’s the proof that what you’re fearing will happen? What does the data say? If you fear disease, what are your chances of getting it? And if you get it, what are your chances of survival? Be realistic. Face the evidence with objectivity to chase away your fears.

5. Happy Place. If you are truly letting your imagination run away with fear, close your eyes and imagine a place that is safe and calm. It could be a favourite room in your house, the beach, the spa–anywhere. Let the positive feelings flood over you until you feel more relaxed.

6. Talk. If you can’t talk with someone you’re close to, like a partner, friend, or family member, call your medical provider or a Mental Health Hotline. Here’s the link to Canada’s Mental Health Resources hotlines: https://bit.ly/47oeiQN. Also, if you’re a student, you might be interested in “225 Mental Health Resources for Students” at this link: https://ivypanda.com/blog/mental-health-resources/ (thank you to Kevin Dawson at Ivy Panda for providing the info).

7. Basics. Fear sometimes drives people to abuse drugs and alcohol, but this will only make matters worse. Instead, go back to basics like good nutrition, eight hours of sleep per night, and exercise. These are the best cures for fears and anxiety.

Of these fear “treatments,” my favourite is number 7, the basics. The basics are something that we all have available more readily and can control. Thus, controlling what happens in our lives is within our power.

Ultimately, we can all go with the flow to some extent and push back when needed to improve overall societal functioning. But the all-or-nothing mentality never works – sometimes we need to be in a flow state and sometimes in pushback. You decide what is best for you and when.

Here's to your healthy state of mind, free of fear and full of positivity.