Fear Fed Grows

How to respond to a fear-driven panic

CORVID-19 or coronavirus has taken the world and the US by storm. The beginning of last week, I thought this was all a lot of hype, by Friday I was looking up facts to defeat the rising fear in me, by Sunday I realized that this was real and here and I did feel afraid.

Still, I choose to not act in fear. I didn't rush out to the stores, I didn't talk fearfully, and I didn't do anything different. As a result, I felt pretty safe and secure despite all that was happening.

Then Monday came and all the talk of depleted supplies made me feel the need to at least grab some extra food for my family "in case". So I went out to brave the stores, my three kids in toe.

I live in Oregon and, even at noon, the first store was way quieter than normal. There was an air of fear about the people who were there and I began to feel it as I went in search of the items I needed.

As I picked out food, I realized I was acting on my fear. The fear that "What if there wasn't enough food left for my family?" As I acted on the fear and went to buy food, I felt my fear grow so much more than it had been. Fear fed grows. 

When I acted on my fear, I was telling myself that the fear was real. When I said that the fear was real, my survival Fight or Flight response started to take over. 

I felt like a scared animal following the herd. I felt panicked, jumpy, and nervous. I went to the next store and saw a empty spot in the produce section and my heart rate rose and my fear intensified. "I'm feeling panicked and I don't want to feel like this!" I said to my Mini-Me, my daughter, who shares my temperament and understands feeling panicked. 

Still, we pressed on. I reminded myself not to panic, not to act out of my fear, and simply to get what I needed to be prepared.

I felt so much relief being done with that stressful shopping trip. Even though in essence it had been a simple trip, the emotions were complex.

I don't know how you are feeling, or what you personally need to do to prepare, but I want to encourage you not to feed the fear. Do whatever you need to for you and your family but remain peaceful as best as you can. Don't spread fear and don't feed it in yourself or others. Rest in the peace that we can do what we can but ultimately God is in control and He is good.

Much love,

Joy