UNDERSTANDING THE FEAR OF VACCINES
We have all heard about the increasing suicide numbers, the increase in mental health diseases, and homicide — Which often can be brought back to mental health. For many, the only straw to hold onto throughout the pandemic was the vaccine. Now the vaccine is widely available, at least in many western countries. Nevertheless, there is no relief in sight. The reason for this is a primary human emotion: FEAR.
Fear has not been addressed adequately during this pandemic. On the contrary, it has been used as the primary motivator to achieve compliance with guidelines creating division through a “right vs. wrong” mindset. It hasn’t allowed us to reflect on what’s happening and look at facts and data scientifically. Instead, letting every opinion matter in this strange case.
While opinions may seem harmless and should stay as opinions, people believe that they are rational, resulting in one of the biggest threats of spreading fear without anyone even noticing or speaking about it.
The simple complexity behind fear.
Fear starts by experiencing a threat stimulus which activates our fear or flight system. We experience the chemical reaction in the form of a fast heartbeat, sweaty palms, blushed cheeks, and other physical responses. But fear has different layers and is not just a biochemical experience based on outside stimuli. Thoughts can function as a stimuli for fear. On top of that, fear -which is technically just a fleeing experience- can turn into a permanent state of mind. People that experience anxiety go through prolonged states of fear. The lack of interactions and isolation can cause fear. Memories and trauma can cause fear. The variance in why people experience fear differs and is based on individual makeup.
But while some fear is justifiable, others are not. Therefore, regarding the pandemic and the vaccine, it is necessary to take a look at the four stages.
Stage 1 Fear happens and requires action(s). It can include being afraid of change, losing a loved one, war, being alone, getting older or having to make a decision, moving and making new friends, going back to work after a prolonged sabbatical, driving, and other actions. Stage 1 fear is outwards-oriented and situation-based.
Stage 2 Fear is inwards oriented and is a state of mind. For example, being afraid of rejection, failure, disapproval, and even being afraid of success falls into this category. Stage 2 is complex because we often trust our thoughts more than others. Many people that experience Stage 2 fear begin to shut down and block out the world around them.
Stage 3 Fear is the most complex one because it comes down to the basic belief that you won’t be able to handle what comes your way. It can express itself as “I can’t handle the illness, I won’t be able to survive if he is gone, I won’t be able to handle it if I make a mistake, or I won’t be able to handle getting the vaccin.”. There is no rhyme or reason for feeling like you won’t be able to handle it. But again, we human beings are not rational: we are emotional. And that’s where stage 4 comes into place.
Stage 4 Fear. The belief is that you are rational and that you can detach yourself from your emotions and evaluate a situation based on pure logic. I call this the fear of admitting, which is basically a combination of Stages 2 and 3. Stage 4 Fear can express itself as: I am afraid to be conned, and I can’t handle making a mistake. Therefore, I will pretend that I know. It can also express itself in over rationalizing and finding reasons that support your fear without acknowledging that you are afraid -instead of arguing- even if you contradict yourself.
Untangling what is underlying the resistance to vaccines.
Feeling helpless, weak, and unable to do anything is a strong motivator for unreasonable behavior. This, combined with a lack of trust and emotional contagion, creates a powerful force that stops people from thinking beyond their well-being. The influx of negative emotions prevents the brain from being solution-oriented to solely focusing on survival by all means. Strong (negative) emotions that activate our sympathetic nervous system help us to survive by narrowing down our focus. Instead of seeing the whole picture, we just see a narrowed-down version of the world around us — a version in which we need to fight or flight to survive. Well, running away from the pandemic isn’t an option. Therefore the only way to respond to this is by fighting.
Social Media’s impact on emotional contagion, aka the spreading of fear.
Unfortunately, Social Media has substantially contributed to feeding the fire so that people find reasons in unreasonable conversations. They are rationalizing their fear collectively and creating an “Us vs. Them” mentality. Further, by distancing themselves from others, this group creates a feeling of belonging and sequentially an identity: The anti-vaxxers. Here is the tricky part: this identity is not just being created by the people who don’t want to get vaccinated, but also by the vaccinated people through name-calling. German sociologist Norbert Elisa shows that when we label others, they will eventually take on the characteristics and start acting accordingly.
How to keep the conversation going?
As someone that hasn’t been able to see close friends and family in over 2.5 years, I must admit that empathy isn’t coming around easily in these times. However, as a Social Psychologist, I understand the dynamic behind fear and the need for belonging. Unfortunately, every culture comes with its pros and cons. Individualism and freedom are two highly celebrated values within the US which, at times, prevents people from reflecting on their thoughts and leads to misinterpreting their emotions as logic.
As Adam Grant pointed out in his guest article The Science of Reasoning With Unreasonable People, listening and creating space is the only way to make reason. We cannot convince people that their rationale is faulty because you can not argue emotions. You can just reflect on emotions and put them into perspective. Emotions are individual experiences; what might seem manageable fear to you might seem life-threatening to someone else. Persisting on “Right vs. Wrong” jeopardizes collective mental health because we create a distance between people and close off potential conversations. Let’s acknowledge FEAR and start a conversation that opens the possibility to reflect on what the other person is feeling instead of knowing.
Finally, this is a new situation for all of us, and most likely, we will continue to stumble over unknown territory. We know some can handle change and move forwards. But others can be held back because of fear of the unknown.
Instead of expanding the pandemic from a viral disease into mental disease, let’s focus on how we can contribute to a solution collectively.
