Illustration: Matija Medved

One Day at a Time

Take a Break From Social Media and Cuddle

Daily insights on life in the face of uncertainty, by psychiatrist and habit change specialist Dr. Jud Brewer

Elemental
Published in
4 min readApr 6, 2020

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EEarlier in this series, I talked about social contagion — whereby emotions are passed between people just like germs. Recently, a reporter asked me what was more infectious: a virus or social contagion? The answer is simple. Social contagion is much more infectious. Why? We can prevent the spread of coronavirus by keeping a distance of about six feet, which is how far a sneeze can travel. But someone can sneeze on your brain with their anxiety from anywhere in the world.

Social media is the perfect vector for spreading anxiety and panic. And just like washing your hands and social distancing can prevent the physical spread of coronavirus, there are also ways to prevent the spread of social viruses.

Here are some simple tips.

When you find the intensity of our current situation creeping up on you, take a deep breath and ask yourself: What do I need right now?

If you are looking for news, go right to true sources of reliable information. Do rely on the World Health Organization for accurate information on coronavirus, but don’t get sucked…

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Elemental
Elemental

Published in Elemental

Elemental is a former publication from Medium for science-backed health and wellness coverage. Currently inactive and not taking submissions.

Jud Brewer MD PhD
Jud Brewer MD PhD

Written by Jud Brewer MD PhD

Addiction Psychiatrist. Neuroscientist. Habit Change Expert. Brown U. professor. Founder of MindSciences. Author: Unwinding Anxiety. www.drjud.com. @judbrewer

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