Figuring out if there’s a need to panic about something always comes down to observing a parent’s behaviour. In my case, it’s usually my mom’s. A clear predictor of potential crisis is the sudden change in my mom’s usual worry levels. A few months ago, people around me were engaging in their usual behaviour, my mom included. Once the news about the Coronavirus spread, a flip switched. Today, I see masks everywhere, sanitizer’s being squeezed at every sneeze and illogical self-imposed bans on Chinese food. My mother on the other hand, she’s created an entire list of places my family is not allowed to step foot at. My morning vitamin pills have suddenly increased and I’m not sure if they’re contributing to the voices in my head that sound quite maternal, warning me about risks, ridiculously, EVERYWHERE. I’ve been rather frustrated at her protective instincts, yet they also got me thinking – maybe it’s good to be overreacting. 
Reading up about overreactions to health risks highlighted two things: first that there’s expansive research available on human behaviour and how it changes in-response to a potential risk and second that it’s so much fun working in Psychology because there’s literally a term for every single behaviour we engage in. Expanding on the first result of my research, our first reaction to news about a new and potentially serious risk is generally an over-reaction which is normal, healthy and in fact useful. Peter M Sandman, in his column about this reaction, expands on four typical behaviours an individual display as part of this – 
1. We stop engaging in behaviours that we presume are dangerous. This is what happens when you’ve read about a recent plane crash or food virus and you avoid flying for a while or stop eating specific cuisines. Thanks to the coronavirus, I’ve stopped riding the metro in order to avoid crowded spaces – a clear example of such behaviour. 
2. We are extra-cautious or ‘hyper-vigilant’ as he explains. I’ve been opening almost every WhatsApp forward, e-mail, news headline or article that mentions the virus. It’s at this stage that we should also be aware of how vulnerable we can be and easily manipulated into believing any news in the interest of self-protection. However, there’s still time to slow down and double-check news sources before we jump to claims about our safety. 
3. We bring the risk into our own lives – By personalising the experience and imagining the virus affecting known family members or even ourselves, we personalise the risk. Past experiences have revealed that my mother is quite talented at this behaviour. 
4. We prevent by taking ALL precautions, however unnecessary they might be. This is probably where a number of funny stories can be recalled about the extent to which we’d go to save ourselves. 
And together, these responses are what experts and professionals refer to as ‘adjustment reaction’ – emphasising the usefulness of such a response. Adjustment reaction is a temporary transition that helps you rehearse and prepare your mind emotionally for what could possibly come next. Not only does it prepare you well but it gets you thinking logically about the next steps to think. This ‘panic’ reaction is crucial in propelling action towards prevention, because ‘Even if people might be over-doing it, at least they’re doing something! 
Another advantage of adjustment reactions are that they help you avoid situations of late reactions, where you could potentially risk being ignorant or complacent. 
While we spend most of our time ridiculing people who engage in such over-reactions, we should be supporting adjustment-reactors by legitimising them and guiding them. Parents are frustrating when it comes to the demands they require in order to be convinced we’re doing our part – but the reality is, I’d rather be safe than sorry. If you’re panicking, stay happily cautious, it’s perfectly normal. 

The author can be contacted on Instagram @sincerelysanah