The year 2020 began with an explosion of fire. Ripping through Australia, tearing down houses, and
causing the near extinction of millions of animals. Tears were shed for Australia, people expressed
their deepest empathy for those affected. The nation felt the trauma.

As the ash started to settle and the smog lift from people’s hearts a lull of exhaustion fell across the
nation. Resting to recuperate and rebuild. The world had other plans. A virus silently crept its way
across the borders to people already in distress.

COVID-19, a silent fire. Threatening the lives of people. Sent shock waves through the world. Terror
for one’s life and livelihood in its wake. The first wave of COVID-19 sent the Nation into lockdown. No
one was to leave their houses beyond exercise consisting of a walk around the block and shopping
for essentials. Mothers giving birth with no visitors, funerals limited to five mourners, weddings
maxed out at ten people. The joyful and the mourners, the wealthy and the poor, all affected by a
slow burn. A nation, sent into panic and feelings of uncertainty and unsafety as a result of the fires,
is now in a trauma loop of distress as COVID-19 cases rise and fall, threatening lives in great numbers
and sending people into lockdown then falling in numbers as people recover and the spread is
reduced.

As COVID-19 cases fall, people naturally seek comforts, to feel safe, to re-energize. It’s exhausting
consistently living with a sense of doom on the horizon, to live as if your life is threatened every day.
So, people move to complacency abiding by the Government restrictions of only five visitors at a
time. Restaurants slowly reopen, gyms provide service again. Australia begins to wake up and move.
But it is short-lived.
Once again, the cases rise. This time, cases are unknown, like a slow fire creeping throughout the
city. Hard to extinguish when you can’t see where it falls. Schools that endeavor to stay open are
consistently closed back down again due to outbreaks sending small communities into a panic.
The wave of distress throughout Australia takes its toll. As the wave sinks people begin to rest and

recover, attempt normalcy before another wave takes over. Spot fires of COVID-19 increase, followed
by another lockdown.
During the waves, emotions run high on social media. Themes of human nature survival reactions
take over via memes and comments. A wave of different reactions driven by a fight, flight, or freeze
response. If we notice how our bodies react to the threat of COVID-19 we can find positive strategies
and develop a support network to manage the conflicting emotions. By recognizing the fight, flight,
and freeze responses in others it allows us to check in with those around us and respond to people's
reactions to COVID-19 appropriately.
The Fight Response
Individuals experiencing a fight response may find themselves becoming tearful, clenching their
hands, and fists. The jaw might become tense and feelings of anger arise and are projected onto
family members or via media outlets. Individuals find a desire to punch or kick things and dreams
might be filled with aggressive outlets such as fights, fires, bombs going off, and death.
The Flight Response
Those with a flight response might feel restless, their anxiety increases and the body is fidgetily
wanting to run. Those with a flight response will find each lockdown harder to be still. There may be
excessive walking around the block during the lockdown and the urgent need to wander the easels
of the supermarket in distress. Once lockdown has lifted an urge to get out of the house and return
to normality may be strong.
The Freeze Response
When the pandemic became a threat to us all those with a freeze response close their doors to the
world. A freeze response can leave individuals feeling like they are physically stuck, their body is stiff
with an overall sense of heaviness. There is a dread lingering and no matter what movement is
attempted the feelings linger and follow them. Once lockdown has lifted individuals with a freeze
response might take time to find normality. The frozen limbs become exhausted and it is difficult to
leave the home and partake in social interactions again.

As the wave of COVID-19 rises and falls we all respond differently to one another. Some get angry
and want to seek blame and verbalize their frustration, others find it difficult to sit still and the
isolation and confinement become mundane and stressful and some people completely freeze. They
feel a great sense of danger looming in the distance and find they can't move. Lockdown is
preferable and doors close until there is safety once more.
It is such a sensitive time. People's safety and livelihood are not guaranteed and we don't know how
long the rise and fall of COVID-19 will continue to threaten our existence. Learn to know your fight,
flight, freeze response style so that you can be kind and understanding of yourself and those around
you. We are all affected by this threat. We all respond differently. Through understanding and
compassion, we can be supportive of one another. We are in this together.