Psychology of shoppers’ panic-buying – Business Daily

“We have lately witnessed a lot of panic- shopping following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Does this reflect the psychological state of some people? Some of them went stashing up even things they did not need”

During any crisis, the true colours of human beings come out shining as people are unable to hide behind the mask of propriety.

A story is told of the priest who, to his flock, was a true man of God. Many of his flock would have sworn that he had a place in heaven. He carried himself as one in unity with God. One day when terrorists struck near his church, his true colours were in evidence.

At the moment of the explosive attack, he swore and cursed in his native tongue and words were emitted that shocked all those near him. None knew that a man of the cloth could have such foul words. None had heard him speak his mother tongue. When he preached, he had a heavy American accent that impressed the people.

His actions during the attack further betrayed his true nature. He ran around the compound like a headless chicken. Ordinarily he presented himself as a calm and calculating leader. In this crisis he did not show calm and most certainly there was no evidence that he was a leader “who trusted God at all times”.

His behaviour was best described as a state of extreme panic. From hiding with the children under the table, he scaled the walls in a futile attempt to get through the small windows. He was seen pulling helpless women from what he thought were escape routes. In the end, when help arrived, he insisted on being the first to be rescued.

The first responders wanted to assist those with special needs including pregnant women but he would hear nothing of it. He argued that as a man of God he had the first priority to safety! It was a young fireman who literally knocked some sense into his head. One gentle tap to his head with a rungu was followed by the question “are you a pregnant woman?” He froze and trembled a great deal. Under the fireman’s command, he was the last one out. In the end, all was well and everybody was taken to safety.

His reputation as a leader of the flock was damaged beyond repair. He could no longer present himself before a congregation and preach. It was clear from that day that he did not love his neighbour as he loved himself!

We saw him a few months after this index event and he was severely depressed. He had stopped going to church, did not sleep well at night and was easily startled. Memories of the attack kept flashing before him much as he tried to forget the event. It was the sudden and severe weight loss that brought the priest to our attention. His family thought he was about to die. He was clearly very depressed. A diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was made and he got better on a combination of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and medication.

That, however was not the end of the problem. Though better and putting on weight, he was unable to forgive himself for the terrible behaviour he had shown during the attack.

In therapy, it became evident that the Priest had gone into priesthood for all the wrong reasons. He had found the Church to be a place for him to hide from all “the sins” of his life. He was, in nutshell a wolf in sheepskin.

In high school he was subjected to frequent punishment for stealing. He drank heavily and smuggled drugs to the school. He changed schools three times during the four-year high school career. The first for fighting, second for stealing and the third for selling cannabis. He was a boy always in trouble.

When he failed form IV, his parents took him to a family friend who advised that he should be taken to a seminary. During the time with other Priests, he was the “odd” man out and he was often suspected to be a thief among the group.

No evidence linked him to the frequent incidents of loss of property. All suspected him but none had the courage to investigate. He did not finish his formal training but out of the Kindness of his heart, the Bishop had directed that he be made an assistant Priest in a local Church. In spite of losses of money from the Church, his great charm and look of innocence remained his first and often only line of defence. The terrorist attack had removed the mask that covered his true personality!

Covid-19 is truly the first global pandemic of modern times. Every human being is equally at risk. Prince Charles, Boris Johnson and Wanjiku are equal before the virus. It is at these moments of nakedness from title, fame and fortune that our true nature comes out.

Those who truly care for humanity will stand out and be recognised as such. Those, who like the Priest, only wear masks of decency will also be known. They will shop with insatiable greed till they fall.