The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.

Coronavirus conspiracy: the danger of 'covid dissidents' and how to talk to them

'10.05.2020'

Source: health.mail.ru

Covidiot (Covidiot) - a neologism that appeared in the English lexicon in March this year. This word was christened to alarmists who rushed to buy buckwheat and toilet paper, as well as those who purposely ignore quarantine because they do not believe in the existence of coronavirus infection, writes health.mail.ru. They are also called covid dissidents.

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Many of them even consider the pandemic to be a worldwide conspiracy (of pharmaceutical companies; a secret global government; the USA, China or North Korea - the series can be continued). Covidiot is such a younger brother of an HIV-dissident who denies the existence of the human immunodeficiency virus.

We figure out what covid skeptics believe in and how to communicate with them.

“There is no coronavirus. It's all politics ”

People who think that way are most often supporters of some conspiracy theory: for example, the financial, the State Department conspiracy, the Dulles plan, the conspiracy of pharmaceutical companies or masons.

There are a lot of versions, and there is even more evidence, however, for the most part they are either indirect or based on unofficial data, so there is no way to verify them. This distinguishes the conspiracy theory from a rational explanation: it looks extremely convincing, although there are almost no ways to prove it - everything is covered in fog and mystery.

On the subject: How to persuade older relatives to be careful if they do not believe in coronavirus

"There is a coronavirus, but it is slightly more dangerous than ARVI"

A fairly popular version of what is happening from amateurs to read statistics, which, for example, says that mortality from coronavirus is two times lower than from influenza. Or arguments based on research from high-profile universities.

"There is a coronavirus, but it can be cured by simple means"

Coronavirus infection is fertile ground for lovers of Chinese medicine. Soda, alcohol, garlic water, ginger, etc. are offered as alternative medicines. They are not strongly advised to contact doctors - doctors do not even cripple, but even infect. In one community, they share experiences on how to avoid taking a coronavirus test so as not to get sick because of this.

Why are covide skeptics dangerous?

Everyone has the right to their opinion, but it is simply dangerous to ignore the real situation: the epidemic is being fought around the world, people are dying from complications, quarantines and self-isolation regimes are introduced to reduce the possibility of infection. Restrictive measures are needed, first of all, not to prevent morbidity, but to reduce the burden on hospitals: there are not an infinite number of ventilation devices, and so are beds and nurses. Effective drugs and vaccines have not yet been found. Accordingly, the smoother the infection will occur and the more evenly people become ill (not all at once!), The greater the likelihood that the treatment will be of high quality.

How to communicate with someone who claims that the coronavirus does not exist, and why is it so difficult to convince such a person? Health project Mail.ru asked psychologists.

Alexander Kutuzov, practicing psychologist:

“For a start, you can try to understand what happens to a person who denies the existence of coronavirus.

We are dealing with a new phenomenon of denial, which, unlike other dissident movements, seems more ambitious. But what pleases is not so organized. It can be assumed that the scale of this phenomenon is due to the fact that a real pandemic has, to one degree or another, affected the life of every person. And if not everyone was ill, then very many can feel themselves victims anyway.

People, without exaggeration, are now experiencing the loss of the old reality. Like a person who is experiencing the loss of a past carefree life due to a diagnosis that requires constant care for his health. People are bewildered, worried, scared.

On the subject: About viruses, conspiracies, quarantine violators and the light at the end of the tunnel

Some, experiencing the loss of their former reality, are stuck at the stage of denial. They do not want to believe that such global changes are happening here and now, and that the worst thing is directly with them. Various factors can influence such a jam: social environment, awareness, critical thinking, level of anxiety.

At the stage of denial, a person seeks an excuse to escape from a frightening reality and sometimes clings to even the most ridiculous ideas that give him hope that all this does not actually exist.

And then the desire to hide in this newfound version of events drives any illogical arguments and explanations. So all these world conspiracies are born, infection through 5G, through vaccinations, stories about universal chipping, etc.

What conclusion can we draw? A person who denies the coronavirus is likely to defend themselves. In special cases, he is deliberately engaged in misinformation and propaganda, but we will not consider these cases ”.

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