Stress Won’t Kill You, But Your Reaction To It Might

“Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing,” wrote one of the world’s foremost philosophers, Winnie-the-Pooh, “of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.” Doing nothing is exactly what a lot of us are facing for an extended period of time. But “not bothering” is probably not how most of us are feeling. We’re worried about our families, our next meals, our jobs, the bills, the economy. For some, self-isolation, quarantine, or lockdown is a risk factor for domestic abuse. Many people are trapped in truly precarious situations, far away from home or from needed medication. Others are just alone, and it feels like solitary confinement with no prospect of human interaction for weeks to come.