With the
recent release of population white paper, the possibility of 6.9 million people
in our already cramped little island sure ruins the festive mood! But like the
Buddhist saying goes “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”. Regardless the outcome of the debate, we
can’t expect the problem of over-crowding to go away any time soon, the least
we can do is take it in stride and come up with little measures to help
ourselves cope better. That beats moaning and getting our blood pressures
rising.
With
Chinese New Year closing in, it is more likely than any other time of the year
that you’d find yourself in the midst of a horrific crowd, whether you’re
shopping, visiting a place of interest or getting around. Being in a crowd is
usually a stressful situation – it makes you hot, tired, impatient and anxious.
It could even set off a panic attack. Obviously, you can’t mop at home or take
a cab every time you need to step out, so let’s deal with this.
Deep breathing is a very simple way to cope with stress and anxiety. This is almost always a guarantee to calm one down. If you find yourself cursing everyone around you, take a deep breath, count to 3 (or 10 if you need more time), tell yourself that everyone is in the same boat (or bus, or train) and will yourself to be more sympathetic. Shoving back or tut-tutting at someone who accidentally pushed you is not going to improve the situation.
Be mindful of your thoughts
In event that you feel stressed or anxious on a crowded public transport, think positive thoughts, such as the nice dinner that you are going home to or your favourite video game. Distract yourself from distressing thoughts and the painful journey will be over in no time. Learning to take a step back from current (vicious) thoughts can help to reduce the influence of these thoughts over your emotions and behaviour, in turn keeping your blood pressure in check!
Don’t go with the flow
Do you always feel that you have to squeeze into the train although the next one’s coming in 2 minutes, not because you’re really pressed for time, but because everyone around you is just trying to push their way in? Well, don’t. Why let yourself get squashed against the door when you can have a slightly more comfortable position just by waiting a couple of minutes? If anyone behind you wants to cross the physical limits of the carriage, let him try. It can be entertaining to watch.
Have company
Have a
colleague who takes the same train route as you? Why not make it a point to
take the train with him/her? Apart from bonding, chatting with someone helps
release stress and makes the time pass faster.
Have a plan when shopping
So Chinatown ’s having a clearance sale and you can’t wait to
get your hands on those great bargains. Guess what? You aren’t the only person
with the same mentality. If you’re counting on going there for a leisurely
stroll and window shopping, you will be sorely disappointed and frustrated.
Instead, draw up a shopping list, decide which shops to visit, and plan your
route if possible. These days, the internet can tell you a lot without you
having to recce the place in advance. This helps limit your time spent in a
crowded, stressful situation, and you feel more in control, instead of
helplessly getting sandwiched in the crowd.
Have a bottle of
medicated oil with you or your favourite scent
Good old
medicated oil is always handy for relieving dizziness. Lavender is known to
relieve fainting spells and stress. Should you have the misfortune of standing
near someone with B.O., the strong yet pleasant smells from the little bottles
keeps the stink at bay.
Practise good hygiene
Hygiene is
always a concern in crowded places. Consider wearing a surgical mask to reduce
potential contact with airbourne diseases. In Tokyo
There are
many brands of instant sanitizers these days produced by various brands in
small portable bottles. They allow you to wash your hands without using water,
any time, anywhere.
If you’re
prone to perspiring a lot, do everyone and yourself a favour by applying deodorant.
This helps make the situation more pleasant for everyone and less embarrassing
for yourself.
Remember,
mutual consideration can help to make crowds more manageable!
However,
bear in mind that anyone with reduced immune system from illnesses e.g. cancer
patients should avoid crowded places as they are more susceptible to getting
infections than others. Should you really need to go out and encounter a crowd, ask your doctor for medical advice.
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