The hysteria and anxiety which spread throughout the country last week as Jamaica recorded eight cases of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) could have serious psychological implications for curtailing the spread of the virus, the Jamaica Psychological Society (JamPsych) has warned.

Clinical psychologist with the North East Regional Health Authority and a member of JamPsych, Dr Pearnel Bell, in an interview with The Jamaica Observer last Wednesday, implored people not to succumb to the fear and frenzy triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak.

“While there is serious cause for concern, we should approach this in a way so as not to create panic, because this could lead to increased levels of anxiety in the society at large. If this virus continues to spread and persons are in an anxious mode then what could happen is that depression could set in, especially for persons who are already predisposed to depression,” said Dr Bell.

“Already we are seeing persons going into what we call anxious anticipation. This means that persons’ nervous systems are activated and are overly anticipating the worse scenario. Now that there isn’t just one case but cases of the virus here in Jamaica, panic is going to be on the increase and people are going to be even more afraid as the count goes up,” said Dr Bell.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic with the virus spreading to 120 countries, and more than 4,000 deaths recorded worldwide.

But even with these figures and the term global pandemic now planted in the public consciousness, Dr Bell stressed that Jamaicans should remain calm and resist the urge to panic.

“The WHO is calling it a pandemic which means that this is a worldwide disease that has spread to several countries and has resulted in several deaths, but what we have to reassure people about is that the word pandemic doesn’t mean that all of us are going to catch it or that everybody is going to die.

“We understand that many are in general fear and panic because they are seeing how people are going to stores and stocking up on supplies; they are expecting an impending disaster; many are catastrophising and thinking that the worst in going to happen. But cognitively we have to become mindful of the reality and profess the fact that this is not something that is expected to result in the deaths of a majority of the population,” said the clinical psychologist, warning also about the spread of erroneous information.

Last week, for example, someone in a voice note circulating on WhatsApp advised people to create their own sanitising agents by mixing vinegar with hydrogen peroxide. This was later said to be unsafe by public health experts.

“This is likely to happen when persons are getting information from the wrong sources,” said Dr Bell.

“They are believing things that are not true which leads because of the increased anxiety level in persons. If persons are going to remain calm and focused they need to rely on credible sources,” she added. “But it is important that the society stays calm rather than allowing our minds to begin to create a level of catastrophe that might never happen. What persons should do is listen carefully to what the authorities are saying and adhere to what is required so that we can help stave off the continuing spread of the virus.”

Addressing the susceptibility of key sections of the population, primarily children and the elderly, who are said to be most vulnerable, those in quarantine and isolation, as well as health care providers, Dr Bell said that “empathy is going to be a very crucial psychological quality during this period.

“The Government should have in place online counselling support services that persons can call to talk about the psychological impact they may be experiencing. For persons in isolation, that should be an imperative because of the high psychological impact that isolation can bring with it.

“We are going to begin to see that anyone could catch the virus and we would need to be treated from a place of dignity, despite the fact that we may have the virus. If persons look at it from that perspective we realise there is no need for aggression towards persons who caught the virus or persons in our surroundings who are sick,” she added.

In the case of these individuals, Dr Bell said it is especially important for them to look out for their own mental well-being as well.

“Older persons who are most vulnerable especially need to listen to what the experts are saying rather than becoming overly anxious. They need to remain calm and positive because anticipated anxiety will only lead to a mental state that is not good for the person or those around them.

“The doctors who are caring for others may also become fearful because they are constantly at risk of picking up the virus. All the health care providers also need to remain calm because since they are in that little circle of professionals a collective hysteria could occur, meaning a significant number of them could begin to develop a kind of fearfulness based on a perception that they might have of the situation whether real or imaginary.

“For the persons who are in isolation and quarantine they should use the mind usefully and recognise that it is for their own good and the good of other persons.

“Persons now need to be conscious of what is actually happening and stay informed about what is the reality of the situation, because going into a state of anxiety will not cause the disease to keep spreading but a mental health issue to arise. We don’t want to compound the problem by using the mind to create a scenario that is not the truth. We cannot overemphasise the need to follow what the experts are saying.

“I am imploring persons not to get into this mode of panic and anxiety but instead become mindful, which means to stay in the present moment and focusing on what the situation is, rather than conjuring up catastrophic ends to what is happening,” Dr Bell said.