The last emotion I expected to feel this morning as I yawned my way into the supermarket was shame. I sensed something was different as soon as I walked in – a heavier, charged atmosphere and many, many more trolleys and strained-looking people than usual.
The toilet roll aisle was almost empty, as were stocks of rice, UHT milk and baked beans. I’ve vehemently rejected the idea of ‘panic buying’, but felt myself caught in the whirlwind that circulated within the anxious microcosm of the supermarket this morning. I watched myself from above stocking up on ‘essentials’ too largely with my 17-month-old son in mind.
As a solo Mum, I feel isolated enough at the best of times. What the past weeks are showing is that the emotional security blanket of a well-stocked pantry is comforting for many.
Yet I felt such shame. I was no different from anyone else ‘panic buying’. I can honestly say it was not propelled by greed, nor even fear of getting the virus. I was just caught up in the contagion of anxiety and fear.
So I wonder how this crisis is affecting our mental health. As a sufferer of anxiety, I’ve felt an inner voice whispering an unintelligible hum of gloom in recent days. I’m not even sure what it’s about, but it’s getting louder. What is this doing to us? To our collective consciousness and individual mental health?
Top Comments
A lovely article that captured the thoughts of most people who are concerned for their family. Most of us are not panicking or lunatics or selfish. Official advice has been to make sure you have enough supplies for 2 weeks in case you have to self isolate at home. It’s socially responsible to make sure you can do this, as it will give us the best chance at containing the virus from those older people most at risk.
The people I have seen at the shops in my area are calm and friendly and not taking excessive amounts of stock.
Home delivery is a risk... what if they don’t have the lactose free milk you need for your toddler who still needs a bottle to go to sleep? Or the size of nappies you need? What if you have a family of five or six with certain dietary needs? What about the poor delivery man who has to turn up to houses where people at risk of having the virus are in quarantine?
So, two weeks ago I bought some bulk items. Nothing crazy, just a bit of extra flour, pasta, oil, rice, lentils etc. I don't understand why we are labelling preparedness for an unknown virus epidemic as 'panic' buying. I'm not panicked. I'm not anxious. I'm just being practical. We have a responsibility to make sure that if we must be quarantined, or if something else unforeseen happens, we can feed our families.