South Africa has banned the sale and transportation of alcohol during the coronavirus lockdown. That seems like a bad idea. Heavy drinkers could be slammed into withdrawal symptoms. If a heavy drinker is abruptly cut off from alcohol, they may require hospitalization, thereby increasing the number of trauma cases requiring emergency care. The decision to […]

Some people refuse to wear masks, but for the most part, we’re all wearing masks in public places. I did some grocery shopping in Walmart today, wearing my mask. I passed other shoppers, making brief eye contact. I gave a polite smile as we do when we see another human, aiming to be pleasant. It […]

Unemployment insurance claims in the US exceeded three million this week due to Covid-19. This is greater than the number of people seeking unemployment in the Great Recession. This figure does not include self-employed people, contractors, or freelance workers. This is a global pandemic of unemployment. It is an economic crisis within a health crisis. […]

I understand why people are protesting to open restrictions. This Coronavirus pandemic lockdown is wearing on me also. I miss visiting with friends over a good meal served at a restaurant, I’m long overdue for a haircut, and desperately wanting to hug the children in my family. My vacation was cancelled, masks hurt my ears […]

Patience with Covid-19 restrictions is wearing thin. Groups of people are protesting to open up restrictions. Trump has repeatedly called for an early return to normalcy as virus-related closings have had a crushing effect on American workers and businesses. In Annapolis, MD, hundreds of people filled the streets last week to demand the governor lift […]

The Covid-19 pandemic has helped many couples and families by strengthening bonds due to shelter-in-place mandates. Increased time and sharing everyday activities together tend to form strong, emotional ties. But this is not always the case. Disasters may weaken relationships and predict divorces. This was the case after Hurricanes Hugo in 1989, Andrew in 1992, […]

We’re all sheltering in place, maintaining a safe social distance from everyone except our immediate families. Now, we could benefit from increased time with our families, without outside distraction. It’s an opportunity for closeness that was previously unattainable, due to busy schedules. But after a while, being together 24/7 can feel like a prison sentence. […]

There’s nothing like financial insecurity to create intense stress. Money was the dominant source of stress for 44% of Americans prior to the Covid19 pandemic. I imagine that it now soars to the top of the list for most of us. Many Americans have large amounts of credit card debt and/or student loans. About 1 […]

The coronavirus pandemic has rightfully caused fear in the general population. But it can be a nightmare for people who have an underlying anxiety disorder. People with anxiety already have racing thoughts, excessive worry, fear, feeling of impending doom, and insomnia. Of course, their anxiety will be heightened. We’ve already seen panic in large numbers […]

Have you heard the term “moral panic?” A moral panic is a widespread fear, most often an irrational one, that someone or something is a threat to the values, safety, and interests of a community or society. Moral panics are often centered on people who are marginalized in society due to their race or ethnicity, […]