If this COVID-19 pandemic becomes a long, drawn-out contagion, much more damaging than the more lethal SARS or MERS-COV outbreaks that preceded it, it’s likely because the world seems to be losing the psychological warfare or psywar against it. It’s unthinkable that a lifeless bit of plasma protein (which the coronavirus 2019 is) can outsmart the whole of humanity and make everyone cower in fear, cause sleepless nights, and drive everyone’s cortisol levels through the roof, shutting down the immune system as a consequence.

When our defenses are weakened because of excessive anxiety, it’s a walk in the park for this virus, which cannot replicate on its own, to usurp the fertile tissues of its victim-host and reproduce exponentially.

In the end, it consumes one out of 18 victims, much worse than an advanced case of tuberculosis could do, as it makes one’s lungs and other organs falter, and kills the hapless victim within a few hours to several days. Though it’s lifeless as it is, one can imagine it snickering as it sees brilliant men of science clutching at straws to suppress its spread and prevent complications.

Sometimes it loses its residency in its host-victim when he or she sneezes or coughs and extrudes a load of the virus into the air. But it just waits nonchalantly, unperturbed by its temporary expulsion, because within the lifespan allowed it outside a living host, it hopes to migrate to another victim and repeat the same process all over again.

If unadopted by a human host, it dies, perhaps with gleeful memories of its fleeting existence and overwhelming subjugation of a human victim more than 10 billion times its size.

Like a USB stick

The virus causing COVID-19 is lifeless, but carries important information. It’s like a USB stick which stores a lot of data and information, but has no operating system of its own. It cannot use the information it carries by itself, but once it is plugged into a computer or device that accepts it and opens it, it can practically run and ruin the operating system. That’s why computer bugs are also called viruses, and we need good antiviral software.

In our body, our immune system is our innate anti-viral software. For so long as we have a healthy immune system, microbes and viruses like the SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19 shouldn’t be a major problem. That’s the reason the far bigger majority of those who catch the virus have only mild symptoms. Their body’s resistance is strong.Mass testing in the United States has even shown that more than 20 times the number of confirmed cases already have the antibody against the virus. That means they were exposed, yet they didn’t even know they were. Their immune systems took care of the virus, with hardly any sweat.

A healthy immune system is, therefore, the major key to prevent this virus from killing its victims. But that is the biggest irony. It sows excessive fear and anxiety on most populations. This chronic state of stress, which is actually distress, is disease-promoting,caused by dis-ease, or lack of a state of ease or calmness.

It’s the primitive fight-or-flight response, which prepared ancient humans to run away from the saber-toothed tiger. But once the tiger was gone, the feeling of dis-ease also waned.

In the case of the current pandemic, most seem to be in constant fear that the virus will be there for a long time, and it’s just lurking around, waiting for its next prey. This, plus the stress of not having enough food on the table or money to pay the bills, add up and cause unprecedented stress that maintains that fight-or-flight adaptive response and shuts down all growth functions of the body. Because the immune system needs regular nourishing and reprieve from stress hormones, it weakens significantly, and the individual becomes susceptible to the virus.

Although all precautions—hygienic measures, social distancing, cough etiquette, strict isolation when symptomatic—must be enforced, we should maintain a strong, positive mindset of dominion over the virus with a healthy immune system, rather than a victim’s mindset that the virus will sooner or later catch up with us, and there’s nothing we can do to change our fate.

We should remain in control, rather than allow the virus to take control of us. We cannot remain in quarantine indefinitely. It’s about time we held the virus by its minuscule horns and deal with it on our own terms.

Taiwan response

The Taiwan response to and handling of the pandemic is a good model to look at. They had an ominous initial surge, which was not a surprise because they were so close to the native source of the virus, China. The Taiwanese government practised the usual precautions, enforced travel bans and strict isolation of suspected patients and those who were exposed, but everyone was encouraged to go about their usual activities, remaining conscious of social distancing.

No lockdown was imposed in Taiwan, although it had simulation exercises to prepare the people for it. It was not taking the situation lightly, but it maintained a positive disposition that the virus could be controlled with strict discipline, cooperation and healthy lifestyle.

I think the Philippines is now beyond the critical slope of the curve. We have flattened it somehow, and if we could just prevent undue surges by maintaining all safeguards, and, more importantly, by boosting our immune system rather than self-sabotaging with our fears, anxieties and COVID-19 information overload, we should be able to keep the virus at bay.

We recognize COVID-19 as a continuing threat, but we should empower our thoughts with constructive ways not to catch it, or if ever we do, to prevent it from causing serious complications. We boost our immune system with nutritious foods rich in antioxidants, have enough sleep at night, do regular exercise, engage in belly laughter several times a day. Even if it’s faked or artificial laughter, it still helps release feel-good hormones, endorphins, which can boost the natural killer cells in our immune system.

Visualize

I coach my patients to visualize one’s strong immune system like Pacman, gulping all the bugs and microbes that enter the body. Alternatively, you can visualize Manny Pacquiao knocking out the COVID virus and all germ invaders. This visualization is best done at bedtime and upon waking up, when our subconscious mind is very receptive to auto-suggestions.

For those who have medical conditions that may compromise their immune systems, they can take supplements, like what I call as the MAZE-CD protection. It stands for melatonin, zinc, vitamins A, E, C and D. Taking these supplements may help boost one’s resistance, so that even if one catches the virus, it would not progress to a severe case.Sadly, our mental hardware has been severely corrupted by the virus. The mental effects of this pandemic are more pervasive and damaging than its actual physical complications. If we can just reboot and reprogram our minds, we can contain the virus and put it in its proper place.

As we think and believe, so our body becomes. If you think and believe you have a strong immune system, the COVID virus will be no match to it.

If you feel despondent and resigned that the virus is contagious, virulent and stronger than your body’s defenses, then you’ll likely be correct and be rushed to the hospital one of these days.

Either way you think, you’ll be proven to be correct. The choice of mindset is yours—victor or victim.