I’m probably the biggest hypochondriac in this entire universe – I’m not even exaggerating. WebMD is actually my most visited webpage on my browser apart from Google, which I mainly use to search up different symptoms and illnesses that lead me to those WebMD pages. I once messaged a company chatbot raising awareness for skin cancer to see if they thought I had skin cancer because of a tiny brown and circular mark on my arm. Spoiler alert: I did not have skin cancer. And I’m almost positive that I’ve given all my friends anxiety from my constant rambling about how easy it is to get an illness and the possibilities of stomachaches turning into full-blown tumors. The plague-season that occurs near midterms is already terrifying enough on its own, but throw in an outbreak that’s killing people every day and you’ve just created the perfect recipe for a hypochondriac’s worst nightmare!
Realistically, we aren’t in an emergency crisis right now. But there’s a key emphasis on the word “realistically,” and when I say that, I mean that the majority of us hypochondriacs focus a lot more on worst-case scenarios and a lot less on realistic terms. Am I a certified doctor that can tell you the exact steps to stay alive? I wish I was – that’d be pretty cool. However, with all the panic and hysteria surrounding the Coronavirus, I’m going to try my best to ignore my impending fears and create a survival guide to help keep your minds at ease and your sanity at bay. From one hypochondriac to another, let’s dive in!
1. Prepare an emergency survival kit
What I can say with certainty is that the outbreak has created a lot of unnecessary mental distress for everyone, with only a small number of those people actually being affected. You’re literally making yourself sick from a well-being standpoint by just agonizing over these fears and what-if situations when you’re actually perfectly healthy. However, it never hurts to take extra precautions. So, grab a small makeup bag and stock it up! Do you need a mask? Lots of hospitals and wellness centres give them out for free. Don’t forget hand sanitizers. Remember that phase everyone had when they owned about fifty Bath & Body Works’ hand sanitizers and only used three? Take advantage of that – it’s almost like fate has been preparing us for this moment our whole lives! I highly doubt you’ll actually need to use these items often, but creating this “survival kit” can help put your minds at ease by making you feel more prepared mentally. This is more for symbolic purposes. It’s less about physically preparing and more about helping you feel relaxed and confident enough to walk outside.
2. Brush up on statistics, read articles and watch videos for the opposing side
You’ve probably done some of this, which is why you’re trapped in fear to begin with. But I challenge you to try researching things from the other side. Instead of searching up death rates and how there’s no official cure right now, focus on other things. Focus on how Canada has had the technology and contingency plans to deal with the virus in the possibility of an outbreak ever since the SARS incident. Focus on how technology is advancing so much that it probably won’t be long before doctors can find a cure. Focus on how doctors and researchers are trying to find ways to mitigate the virus (Hint: Viruses survive longer in colder temperatures). And focus on how even though Ebola happened at some point in our lives, we’re still here and still breathing! There are lots of videos and articles out there that do the opposite of sparking fear, you just need to be on the lookout for them. Despite having two confirmed cases at the moment, Canada is relatively safe and low risk.
3. Boost your immune system
Did you know that Influenza, also known as the good ol’ flu, kills thousands of people every year? But I bet you don’t see your classmates just dropping dead because they got a mild cough or sore throat, right? That’s because their immune systems are probably in pretty good shape, and yours is probably just as healthy! As students, it’s really hard to live that green and clean lifestyle with our busy schedules. It’s so much easier ordering a burger combo from McDonald’s than it is to meal prep, and don’t even get me started on trying to find time to go to the gym. However, if the thought of contracting the virus is paralyzing you with fear, then it might not be a bad idea to try to make time for your physical health for the sake of your immune system and sanity. Try going on a short run twice a week or start by meal-prepping three healthy meals a week, then gradually increase those numbers. You’ll feel great and you’ll be in tip-top shape in case the outbreak does spread across Canada.
4. Spread love, not germs
With everyone freaking out about how to protect themselves from the virus, people have been resorting to a lot of different actions. Some people might try to improve their hygiene by washing their hands more often or temporarily avoiding anyone who is seriously coughing or sick. That’s reasonable! Those are proper measures you can be taking to keep yourself safe.
But what’s not reasonable is the amount of racism and xenophobia that others have been showing towards the Asian communities. As a country that is known for its multiculturalism, we’ve come so far since the old days where racism was more common than acceptance. It’s truly heartbreaking to see people reverting to those ways because of their fears. No one has the right to use this outbreak as an excuse to be a horrible human being. We’re all scared but we’re also all in this together. Pointing fingers and turning our backs on each other because of something like race is the absolute last thing we should be doing. It’s us against the virus, not us against each other. So learn to spread love and acceptance, not intolerance and germs.
Every time the article with the live updates on the virus goes up in the number of deaths, I know we all internally panic a little bit more. But let’s not waste our precious time by focusing on things that could potentially happen. We’re all here and we’re all alive right now. Take this as an opportunity to cuddle with your pets, hug your friends or tell your family how much you love them. Let’s turn our fears into something beautiful, and then maybe things won’t seem as scary anymore.