Personal Growth Planet Blog

By Amy Phillips-Gary

A few days ago a headline on the cover of my city’s newspaper advised readers to “Prepare for H1N1.” This cautionary lead was followed up by a list of steps that can be taken in order to minimize the affects of this strain of influenza that’s reportedly making the rounds.

Cold and flu season happens every year. This time, however, there has been a particular focus on the H1N1 flu.

Countless news reports and websites share the list of symptoms. You can even go online to track where the H1N1 flu has shown up across the country and the world.

By Amy Phillips-Gary

There seems to me to be an overabundance of fear lately. Anxiety and even panic appear in the words, faces and demeanors of those around me, in the news and are even present in my own bearing.

It’s as if the United States has become the land of the worriers and the home of the fearful.

And it’s making us sick.

I’m no scientist, but I can’t help but wonder if there is a link between all of this fear and worry about the economy and the recent outbreak of the “swine flu.”