Have you wondered why so many people are behaving irrationally during the Coronavirus pandemic? Do you wonder why some Americans are refusing to wear face masks, denying the existence of a pandemic, threatening to shoot and inflict violence against others, rebelling, acting out, agitated and emotional?
It is caused by fears, worry, uncertainty and insecurity within each of us, and people react to these negative emotions differently. This fear is coupled with the uncertainty of presidential leadership and the government’s mishandling of the pandemic causing severe distress for many Americans. Some people deny feeling fear and pretend everything is okay. Some become hyper-vigilant by threatening to shoot and injure others who violate their space. Some react by rebelling and acting out towards others around them. Some feel depressed, agitated, and overly emotional. Some are hording hand sanitizers and toilet paper. At the core of these behaviors is the feeling of fear within each of us.
Fear drives the sympathetic nervous system resulting in a fight or flight response. The amygdala, the brain’s emotional center, is activated, and we go into automatic fight or flight response. During this reaction, the prefrontal cortex, which governs rational thought, decision making, and moderating social behaviors, is impaired. When we are in prolonged stress, the sympathetic nervous system increases cortisol stress hormones, adrenaline, and excessive blood to the muscles for us to fight or flee.
Prolonged fight or flight reacting within the body causes insomnia, disrupted sleep, fatigue, malaise, forgetfulness, lethargy, apathy, agitation, depression, anxiety, and impaired rational thinking, since the flight or flight response only is intended for short durations. This is where we are now in the United States with resulting chaos and increased Coronavirus infection rates and deaths.
I encourage you to change or transmute this inner darkness into light, which requires compassion toward yourself and others. The first step is to be mindful and aware of your fears and internal dialogue. What thoughts or words arise within your mind? Observe these fear related thoughts without judging it or reacting to it. The second step is to understand that everyone feels fear, and have compassion for yourself and others experiencing this fear. This fear will pass as with all emotions.
Try using Reiki therapy, breathwork, spiritual counseling, meditation, yoga practice, chi gong practice, acupuncture, and/or other forms of energy work to help with managing this fear. Spend time in nature known as “Forest Bathing” and a regular exercise regime also can provide relief during this pandemic. When you transmute your inner darkness into light, you will transmute darkness into light for our country and world.
Please contact Brooke Chang Certified Reiki Master to find out more about how Reiki Therapy and Spiritual Counseling can help you at (951) 821-0825, brookechangreiki@outlook.com, or Contact Form. Please see Available Services at Brooke Chang Reiki Therapy. (Copyright 2020 Wan Brooke Chang with All Rights Served)
