COVID19 Series

Pandemic Hysteria.

• What does it even mean?
• How can we learn from it and?
• What can we learn about what is behind hysteria?
• The best defense, although not a cure, is to learn from the past.
• Learning from the past can help us cope with the present and
• Therefore, handle things better than our past families have.

• The first diagnosis of hysteria was in 1810.
  • When one had hysteria was considered an illness and treated as though the one could recover.
  • Later it was discovered it had psychological components and that the person may or may not recover.
  • But how is that different than a hysteria that is pandemic – everyone around you and the world has it at one time or another?

The familiar terms, some degrading, regarding hysteria are from the past and present. It’s widely spread uses make it a common household term. But was does hysteria exactly mean?

• Types of hysteria:
  • Wartime hysteria
  • Hysteria on social media
  • Black Friday and massive hysteria
  • Political hysteria
  • Plagues caused mass hysteria

Definition of Hysteria

“An emotional conflict that has been blocked” and seeks to be expressed in a different form. That form could be emotional excitability, disturbances of the senses, the mind, the nerves, or nerve centers, felt in the internal organs of the body. This can refer to intuitive reasoning. (Adapted from Meriam-Webster dictionary definition.)

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hysteria#examples

Primary Instant Cure for Hysteria

CHOOSE Not to be a victim.

When you feel hysteria, emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually, intellectually, someone wants you to feel that way. Do Not Go There. Choose not to be a victim.

We all know where we are vulnerable. So, close the weak areas and know that it has been overcome before, and if they can – we can.

Learn from the stories of old, how we overcame major obstacles. We can do it again. Read on.

Stories That Effectively Caused a Change

Some Communities in Italy were spared the disease in 1629-1631.

• They enforced border controls,
• personal hygiene and
• laws governing sanitation.
• With the sick they would isolate,
• restrict travel, and
• quarantine any carrier possibilities.

Not one person of the village of Ferrara died.

• They also used herbal and oil remedies, like ‘Composito’.
• Lime was used for part of their disinfecting routines.
• Strict hygiene was practiced everywhere.
• They would not leave any filth in the streets.

*The research that occurred was detailed. The Yellow Fever in 1793 was an enigma to many scientists and doctors. The rich left Philadelphia to leave the poor in care of the sick. Many would desert their families if they were sick. They practiced social distancing out of fear and ignorance. It took more than a century for them to discover that it was caused by the bite of the mosquito.

A century of research is a lot of research.

The practical but ineffective methods that some countries used included having the poor care for the sick without help. The sacrifice that the poor gave to care for the sick is phenomenal, especially when they were not sure how to cure it.

After 1918 and all the pandemics, WWI, and all the chaos. The Roaring 20’s jumped into action and this is how they did it. – “A spending spree!” How fun is that? But before WWI, additional money was printed that was not backed by gold. The Federal government printed the money to fund the war because they could not get it through taxing the people. No one had any money.

No one counted on the negative effects of the year 1918. So, the post war recession did not come as expected. The people who had done without during the war now started buying more. Because inflation was high, the interest rates were raised to compensate and help bring the inflation down. Post-war problems in the economy hit, but instead of lowering interest rates, the economy was allowed to right itself, and it did make a comeback.

The 1920 depression hit hard but was short and prices of food and goods became lower. People could afford to buy again. The Federal government did lower the interest rates, and gold came flooding in from foreign investors. Only then came the “boom” of prosperity.

*I used this source for information. Source: https://www.history.com/tag/pandemics *Disclaimer. The facts used in this post were obtained from a source listed here and I am using them only to represent the change of interest rates and its effect on the economy and the unemployment rate. I am not an expert in economics. But I find this information helpful and interesting. I do remember some of the events mentioned and their effects.

How America Survived the Recessions

• Victory over 12 recessions starting from 1945:
• 1945 – After WWII, they worked on the unemployment rate as the soldiers returned home.
• 1948 – Because of the heavy spending to replenish supplies slowed down, a small recession hit. Recovery was quick, but employment was 7.9 compared to 1.9 at the end of WWII.
• 1953 – Korean War recession was short because they returned the low interest rates after hiking them up to slow inflation. Unemployment was 6.0.
• 1957 – Asian Flu and the global recession. Interest rates rose, spending fell, and they ended the recession by spending money on highway constructions. Unemployment was 6.2.
• 1960 – consumers started buying foreign cars and goods, and again the interest rates were raised. Concentration was on stimulus spending and increasing SS and unemployment benefits recovered the economy. Unemployment was 7.0.
• 1969 – With inflation rising, the interest rates were raised again, and unemployment rose to 5.5. When interest rates were decreased again, economic growth resumed.
• 1973 – the oil embargo lead into a very long recession, short recovery period after the interest rates were lowered. The stage was set for high inflation in the late 1970’s. The unemployment rate was 8.8.
• 1980 – Iranian Revolution and oil prices. High oil prices, waiting lines at the gas stations and rationing gas. Interest rates raised, short recession. Unemployment was up to 7.8.
• 1981 – A recession on the heels of the one before. A double dipped recession that was difficult due to another oil crisis. Inflation was not halted enough in 1980, so interest rates were raised significantly. Unemployment rates were 10. President Ronald Reagan promoted tax cuts and defense spending and the economy pulled out.
• 1990-1991 – Failure of banking institutions, slowing new construction projects, market crash, oil problems caused long lasting problems even after the recession was ended. It was then marked with a very slow economic growth. Unemployment was 6.8.
• 2001 – the DOT crash and 911. Corporate scandals (ENRON) knocked the economy down, but 911 knocked it flat. The recession was quick, unemployment was 5.5. The economy was boosted by the housing industry this time and the low interest rates helped.
• 2007 to 2009 – The Great Recession. Caused by the collapse of the housing bubble. Owners who had poor credit history had high interest loans they could not repay and that caused mortgages to be lost, banking institutions lost, and retirement funds were lost. Unemployment was at 10. The banks were pulled out with stimulus money and that enabled the economy to recover.

It’s worth stating that the above information is invaluable in the possibility of finding a solution to this pandemic we are still experiencing. I thank the source for all this information.

Debbie