By Meriam Shanti, Opinions Editor
On Jan. 21, the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the United States. This quickly prompted a nationwide panic; the virus captured media attention, shelves were emptied, and gun sales spiked. This phenomenon, mass hysteria, is actually a form of psychosomatic mental disorder. This means that it is an illness where any physical symptoms are caused by anxiety and mental duress.
The Salem Witch Trials are a prime example of mass panic. This was a period in the 17th century where dozens of people were accused of practicing witchcraft and sentenced to death for their “dealings with the devil.” Courts seldom had evidence of these crimes, and more often than not the accusers were simply neighbors who bought into the mass panic and accused others before they themselves were accused.
Although the circumstances are different to the ones caused by COVID-19, all mass panics have a common root cause: anxiety. Back in Salem the anxiety was religiously motivated, whereas now it is caused by the threat a pandemic presents. Mass panic is also a byproduct of mob mentality.
“Groups can generate a sense of emotional excitement, which can lead to the provocation of behaviors that a person would not typically engage in if alone,” South University Psychology program director Tamara Avant said.
While some people mocked the surge to purchase toilet paper and hand sanitizer, the same people later joined in with the mob. Mob mentality thrives off of group participation. Much like a virus, it spreads in order to survive. And, with the introduction of social media, mass hysteria has more potential victims than ever.
According to Vox, there were 19,140,939 “Coronavirus” mentions across social media on Mar. 11 alone. Social media has allowed mass panic to spread and infect people on a much larger scale. Some even warn that the panic is more dangerous than the virus itself.
"What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic,” Dr. Abdu Sharkawy said. “Stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world.”
Mass hysteria stems from some perceived threat, and more often than not the threat is actually present. However, mass panic can sometimes exaggerate the threat to the point where it is more harmful than beneficial.
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