Dealing with Covid-19 Vaccination Anxiety: To vaccinate or not to vaccinate
- Katy Wood & Shanté Dalhouzie
- Feb 9, 2021
- 2 min read
On the 1st of February, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation and announced that the first batch of vaccines against the Corona Virus have safely arrived in South Africa. While it may still be some time before anyone receives this vaccine, there has been a lot of talk around whether to do so. There are many conflicting views on the safety and effectiveness of this vaccine.
This conflicting information can place strain on one’s mental health. Not always knowing for sure which facts are indeed facts and what is fake news, can create the perfect environment for stress and anxiety to thrive. People who suffer from anxiety do tend to have a harder time making decisions and even when they are able to decide, they often question whether it was the best option.
The Corona Virus pandemic and the year 2020 brought on a whole new level of stress and worries for many people, not only in South Africa but all over the world. If you are faced with these same feelings and yo
u are unsure of how to come to a decision regarding being vaccinated, here are some tips from your counsellors at Flourish Wellbeing:
Write it down
Writing or journaling is a good way to process our true feelings about a situation.
Thinking about it, writing it down and then reading over it allows us to review the information 3 times. This may be helpful to uncover thoughts and feelings we didn’t even realise were there.
Talk it out
It is always helpful to have the support of family, friends or a companion when making a big decision. Talking to others can provide different perspectives on the situation and help us to not be narrow minded or have tunnel vision. If you do not have someone to talk to who you feel you can trust, it may be a good idea to reach out to a professional such as a counsellor
(or in the case of the Corona Virus vaccination a Doctor or Nurse).
Take deep breaths
Remember to breathe! In any anxiety or stress provoking situation it is important to remember to take care of ourselves. Deep breathing exercises, doing things we enjoy and spending time with loved ones are all positive ways to cope with the weight of making a big decision.
Look for credible sources
As mentioned, there are so many rumors and fake news being spread about the vaccine so be sure where the information is coming from, and do not just accept any information as truth. Some credible sources include the World Health Organisation; academic sources like journal articles or TED talks; local news sources like news 24 and EWN, among others.
Stay safe and make your mental health a priority
Shanté & Katy
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