Halloween, Fear and Mental Health

Hello everyone,
I hope this week has treated you well.

Halloween is here and before I potentially ruin it for some people, I’d like to wish you all a happy one! 
I’ve always both liked and disliked Halloween. I like to scare people but I don’t like to be scared. I like the candy but my body doesn’t like the candy. I like to see the costumes but I really don’t like getting dressed up. I love horror movies but I can’t sleep for days after watching them. It’s always been a toss-up. However, as I got older and more interested and educated in the field of Mental Health, I started looking at almost everything, including Halloween, differently.halloweenI think about those suffering from mental health issues that see insulting costumes. I think about how individuals with anxiety and panic disorders must feel. I think about how some individuals see others having fun and can’t understand why they can’t feel the same. I guess it could take the fun out of it but these acknowledgements can also allow us to be more sensitive, supportive and well- rounded individuals.
Now, let’s talk about fear for a second.

Fear is a completely normal human emotion. It is usually triggered by threat and is what allows for basic human survival instinct. This essentially means that healthy levels of fear keep us safe. However, constantly living in fear- which sadly many Guyanese do- result in major harm to our overall well- being.

We live within a society with a high crime (robberies, sexual assault, homicides etc.) rate. This can cause people to develop high anxiety and phobias of experiencing these events. For example, I’ve been fortunate enough to have never been robbed but still, I’m always very aware of my surroundings and most of the time uncomfortable when walking alone at night.
This is not rare or unhealthy as I’m sure lots of people who have never been robbed feel this way. However, constant worry and fear is and its effects are numerous.

It can cause physical issues such as impaired memory, cardiovascular damage, breathing problems, stomach issues such as ulcers and just generally weakens our immune system. It can cause mental health issues such as high anxiety and stress, fatigue, disturbances in both eating and sleeping patterns, depression, and even thoughts of hopelessness and suicide. The worst part? These harms come whether the threat is real or simply just perceived by the individual.

My occasional disapproval of Halloween also exists as it’s an opportunity to exploit other people’s fear. There are only a few things that I dislike more than this. I’ve always been afraid of insects or amphibians such as cockroaches or frogs. There were many times, both during my children and quite recently, that people would purposely push me into a corner with these creatures for their own enjoyment. It’s not funny but rather cruel and I’m calling you all out! You know who you are and you’re lucky I’m not writing your names! Halloween is basically this on a larger scale. While some really enjoy it, others really fear it.

Now, what can we do to manage our fear?
In most cases, fear diminishes with age for example, fear of the dark or ghosts/monsters. I remember being terribly afraid of both until the late age of about 15. Thankfully, I’ve grown out of that! For those that haven’t grown out of their childhood fears- that’s completely okay but there are ways to overcome it.

Fear may come from many different things such as stigma, experience, fear of judgement or
feelings of lack of control etc. The realisation that there is so much we can’t control is every person’s nightmare. However, what we can definitely control is how we react.
We can ask ourselves basic questions that may provide clarity and rationality. Ask yourself what exactly is it that you’re afraid of and is it realistic?

It helps to face your fear. To be honest, this is advice I give but rarely take myself. This doesn’t mean that if you’re afraid of robberies, you should put yourself in a dangerous position to prove it’s not that bad, no! It just means that avoidance usually makes fear stronger and gives it more power than it deserves. For example, I used to be terrified of public speaking but exposing myself to it more and more has caused me not to be. This is called exposure therapy.

Breathing also always helps! Inhale through the nose for 4 seconds and exhale through the mouth for 8 seconds. This helps to lower the increased heart rate and trembling that usually comes with fear. Repeat this as many times as you need. It may sound trivial to use something we do naturally as a technique but you would be surprised the difference the simplest things can make once we concentrate on it.

I hope you all enjoy Halloween but again, I do urge you to be more sensitive to those around you. Please do not wear a straight- jacket and go as a “mental patient”. I see this all the time and I always cringe. I believe this happens as we tend to fear the unknown and misunderstood but do understand that these costumes contribute to the already existing problem of stigma and discrimination which prevents people from seeking treatment in Guyana.

If you want to go as someone who is depressed, anxious or even suicidal, here’s a tip. Just wear regular clothes as millions of ‘regular’ people suffer from these. In Guyana, we average over 200,000 feel this way. Considering our population of just roughly 800,000, that’s a tremendous amount. Now have fun but be considerate!

Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com Or come in to see me at:
Georgetown Public Hospital: Psychiatric Department:
Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm

Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department
Drug and Alcohol group meetings – Mondays 4:15
Good mental health group meetings- Wednesdays 4:15

Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!

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