Thursday, April 16, 2020
Both kinds of immunity
Well, more Berenson. This is a point from one of his readers. It's a little heavy on therapeutic jargon for my taste, but it makes a STRONG argument.
When you're naturally anxious, the cure is to face the anxiety-producing situation and learn that it's not worth the trouble. Avoiding it only lets it fester.
You don't have to face EVERYTHING. This only applies to necessary or enjoyable parts of life. If you can get along without a specific "risk", or if you never enjoyed it anyway, just let it go.
I figured this out 30 years ago in my own peculiar way, when the choice was life or death.
The stay-home orders, whether strictly enforced or not, prevent you from facing the anxiety. When enforced, you have no choice. When "recommended", it's too easy to stay inside.
Getting out and walking, or going to the store and having normal contact and conversation, allows you to gain IMMUNITY to the anxiety along with IMMUNITY to the virus. You LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE that you've been in "risky" situations many times and you're still not sick. The two immunities are perfectly parallel and mutually reinforcing. Virtuous circle.
Labels: Experiential education, Make or break
¶ 10:14 AM
