How not to succumb to the common wave of panic. 3 ways to stay calm

Trying to build logic and predict the course of events, a person comes out not as a hero of circumstances, but as a victim of manipulation. Instead of actual reality, he or she sinks into a swamp of fear and potential danger.

Transformational psychologist, graduated from the Institute of Innovative Psychotechnologies.

What is it that so entices people to follow negative news? The illusion of control – an imaginary guarantee of safety. The impression is created: if I am aware of events, I am warned, and if I am warned, then, as they say, I am armed.

If you are still drawn into this abyss of news – please do not deny yourself the “pleasure”, but try to agree in advance with yourself on some limits and rules.

Allow yourself a specific time for stressful despondency (10-20 minutes a day), depending on how much cortisol you need to replenish, and then return to conscious perception, which in panic and fear can be reduced to 20% adequacy. They say “fear is a bad counselor” for a reason, excess cortisol is too.

Here are a few rules of thumb to help you not fall for cybermanipulation

1. Before joining a new social media group/channel, it is advisable to first research the community you plan to join.

Signs of an information trap:

• The administrator is a bot, not a real person. Instead of a photo there is a picture, contacts are hidden. In some services bots are labeled “bot”;

• messages of the channel directly or indirectly provoke panic moods, without constructive suggestions. Swaying psychological instability in the style: “Everything is bad! How much can you do!” and the whole narration sounds in the same tone of negativity on a daily basis;

• messages of the channel contain a mandatory call to action. This is a direct manipulation;

• there is a request to leave confidential information, to fill in a table/questionnaire with personal data in order to provide help/service on a free of charge or for a fee;

• a so-called lead magnet (service, checklist) is offered, which “saves” people from threats to their quiet, measured life (e.g., during a lockdown or mobilization). The “attract attention and gain trust” stage is followed by a competent instruction describing specific active and often even aggressive actions. Usually these are any acts of protest: write, declare, picket.

Simply delete these chats from yourself. Without the possibility of becoming a victim of psychological attacks.

2. Before you reproduce information, thoroughly research your sources. Check everything you want to share, do not send videos and copies of alleged documents to each other without checking, do not open dubious links. Especially now there is a law on punishment for spreading fakes. Be careful.

3. One of the sure ways to stay calm and adequate in the endless stream of negative news is to focus on your circle of influence. These are those life tasks and everyday issues that you can have a direct and immediate impact on: business, partnership, family responsibilities, health and well-being, education and professional development.

You will not benefit either yourself or someone else if your main occupation will be empty worries that take away time, physical strength, destroying the psyche and thus leading to apathy and depression.

Do not breed quantities of evil by your participation. Let us yield only to tranquility.