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Writer's pictureMidlands Health

The Pandemic of Fear

Opinion piece by Dr Neill Shearer


I never thought that I would live to see the dystopian and Orwellian world that surrounds us today. Covid-19 has changed us, and the world we live in, forever.


Unfortunately Covid-19 has also evoked an overriding and overwhelming sense of fear and anxiety in a large portion of the population, which is understandable, but also detrimental to our health. Fear of the unknown, fear of illness and fear of dying are commonly found, but never before in such vast numbers. Fear and anxiety promote neurological and hormonal reactions in the body that produce the stress hormones such as Cortisol, Adrenalin and Nor-adrenalin. The release of those hormones, if sustained, causes a negative and suppressive effect on the immune system, which is obviously not ideal from the infection protection perspective.


How do we deal with this? Covid-19 is real. It is a problem we each have to deal with. Regulations have been put into place (masks,


and social distancing) – do not ignore them as they have been proven to help in the spread of the virus. Take care of yourself – physically, emotionally and spiritually. Eat healthy, exercise regularly (in the confines of our regulations), and to take time out mentally to avoid the spiraling anxiety that is affecting so many people.


I believe supplements such as Echinacea, Vitamin C, Zinc, Multi-Vitamins and Probiotics do help, especially in stressful times.


Be sensible and be rational, particularly when it comes to watching social media. There is so much information out there, much of which is fake news, and many of which are opinion pieces. Do not believe everything you see or hear until you have verified the source.


Do not neglect your health and do not be afraid to consult us for your chronic health problems. We have taken every precaution to protect our patients, our staff and ourselves against the coronavirus.


We will get through this. Not without much heartache and loss, but I believe there is a lesson to be learned from this crisis. We need to change the way we behave, change the way we interact with the world around us and live each day to our fullest potential. When the dust has settled and we look back in time, the world may be a better place to live in. Pray, meditate, read, listen to music, dance, sing or do anything that brings joy and feelings of love.


After all, love is the antidote to fear.





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