Coronavirus: Understanding The Psychology Behind Panic Buying

In the middle of the coronavirus chaos, people are gathering at supermarkets, grocery shops, and departmental stores. The situation that follows forces a rational individual to wonder whether they’re simply preparing to stand tough against this catastrophic virus or panicking irrationally. After all, it started as a quick errand, but now, it’s more of an ordeal that lasts three to four hours. The checkout lanes remain jam-packed these days with hundreds of shoppers stocking up essentials amid the outbreak of this virus. When the outbreak began, people were relatively calm. However, with every passing day, their patience grew thinner.

The problem with panic buying: Events like natural disasters or disease outbreaks force the commoners to stock up on emergency supplies. This act is rational, and there is nothing wrong with it. However, panic buying can worsen shortages. For instance, when Hurricane Harvey hit the oil-rich Houston, Texas, people began to flock at petrol stations to fill the tanks of their vehicles. It led to a rise in the price of petrol for the next two years.

The psychology behind it: One needs to contemplate the difference between panic buying and preparing for disasters. According to psychologists, panic buying is a result of anxiety and the willingness to do anything to quell those fears. Millions of people out there hate standing in queues. When it’s about panic buying, individuals find it scary instead of annoying because they think that they won’t get what they need. That’s why they overstock on supplies.

It’s natural: Researchers say that the word “panic” is somewhat misleading. True and unadulterated “panic” is rare, and it hits people when the situation brings the fear of imminent death with it. Panic is an emotional state, and it’s subjective too. When you see a video where a mother sobs in distress because she found the baby diaper aisle empty at Walmart, you begin to panic. You feel like emptying every shop of diapers so that you don’t have to face a similar situation.

The alternative: The best way to avoid panic buying is to prepare thoroughly for an entire year to manage possible crises and emergencies. You should remember that when you fill your shopping cart with more items than you need, you’re leaving almost nothing for others. They need supplies to survive and they deserve to live just as much as you. Therefore, you need to be considerate towards others. If you can acknowledge and manage your anxiety, then it would benefit everyone out there.

To conclude

You must have come across the saying, “united we stand, divided we fall.” Well, COVID-19 isn’t going to let you follow this proverb literally. However, if you can’t be considerate towards others, then you will put the lives of your fellow human beings in danger. Besides, not everyone is as resourceful as you are. Some even don’t have enough money to spend on essentials. Hence, the only way to win the war against this catastrophe is to control your anxiety. After all, once the threat passes away, you will have to deal with the problems that come with panic buying just like the rest of the world.