Week 4 – Societal anxiety associated with the coronavirus threat

Due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (covid-19), I have noticed that worry and panic are on rise. Fear is considered to be relevant when it comes to epidemic diseases, as it is the natural response towards any threat or danger. However, exaggeration and unreasonable anxiety can adversely impact the mental health of people, especially those who suffer from anxiety disorders such as: social anxiety. Socially anxious people have excessive fear or concerns of social situations which considered to be totally normal. They usually avoid a lot of social activities such as: parties, normal daily conversations, and group meetings. Additionally, they keep themselves away from social norms and traditions like: greetings which include hand shaking. In such situations, people with social anxiety are more vulnerable, which can potentially affect their mental health even more. One of the main reasons behind that is social media, which can be a platform for rumours and misleading information since anyone can write about it regardless his/her profession and education. People can easily be manipulated by unreliable sources and inaccurate information. I personally think that this issue should be taken into consideration and given more attention as it is a serious problem. Tackling this issue requires cooperation between governments and individuals. I believe governments should set up rules and legislations related to unsolicited  information. Also, governments should educate and raise awareness. On the other hand, Individuals should be careful and seek for governmental, official statements.