After months of socially restricting our interactions, we are restless and long for the company of family and friends. Some of us are even showing signs of more serious psychological distress, such as depression and anxiety. This isn’t surprising because decades of research show that social isolation can severely damage psychological well-being, especially for people who are already depressed or anxious before the crisis. A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that nearly half of Americans said that the pandemic has harmed their mental health. Even though the news of vaccines has lifted our spirits by giving us hope, the only effective way we can stay safe from COVID-19 is to comply with CDC guidelines, social distancing rules, and engaging in protective personal hygiene.
During the holidays, we saw people choose to ignore the advice from experts and participate in family gatherings, often flying to see them while others complied and stayed at home. So, why do some people comply and others do not? Based on a study published in Health Expectations, Health Psychologists and Sociologists from King’s College London found that most people believe that compared to others, they are unlikely to be at risk of COVID-19. Researchers explained this phenomenon as a well-established concept in health risk research called comparative optimism, also known as the “illusion of invulnerability”. Comparative optimism is a cognitive bias where people believe negative events are more likely to happen to others rather than themselves. This bias leads to poor decision-making and perhaps engaging in risky behaviors.
One of the techniques that can reduce faulty thinking is mindfulness. That’s because mindfulness practices help us become aware of our thoughts, biases, and judgments, allowing us to see the world as it is, not through the filter of our experiences. If you are considering “throwing caution to the wind” and doing something that you have been warned might be risky, take a few moments to reflect on these questions:
“Why do I believe that _______ is a lower risk behavior for me as compared to others?” For example, do you believe your immune system is stronger than others, or do you believe you are more careful than others?
Then challenge yourself by asking, “How do I know my beliefs/thoughts are true? Or fact-based?”
“What are the consequences to me and others of being wrong?”
If you decide it is worth it to engage in a risky behavior, consider ways that you can modify your planned action to reduce the risk.
Our thoughts and beliefs drive how we perceive the world and are an indication of how we will respond. For us to arrive safely on the other side of the pandemic, we need to learn how to make decisions that are based on reality and not a result of faulty thinking.
Reference
Koula Asimakopoulou, Vera Hoorens, Ewen Speed, Neil S. Coulson, Dominika Antoniszczak, Fran Collyer, Eliane Deschrijver, Leslie Dubbin, Denise Faulks, Rowena Forsyth, Vicky Goltsi, Ivan Harsløf, Kristian Larsen, Irene Manaras, Dorota Olczak‐Kowalczyk, Karen Willis, Tatiana Xenou, Sasha Scambler. Comparative optimism about infection and recovery from COVID‐19; Implications for adherence with lockdown advice. Health Expectations, 2020; DOI: 10.1111/hex.13134.