Pandemic fear has gripped the globe for an entire year, and it continues to hold tight. Warnings of even more contagious and deadly disease variants are suspected just over the horizon, as constant coverage of case numbers and death counts urge us to stay diligent or risk certain doom. The goal of this incessant message is to save lives, but the cost has been high. This past year on high alert has resulted in a sharp uptick in suicides, mental health problems, drug overdoses, and domestic abuse. Research shows that fear messaging can effectively influence public behavior, but it also harms people in the process. In an article published June 2020 in the journal Health and Behavior, researchers point to several studies that show that fear-inducing public health campaigns can also inspire denial, backlash, avoidance, defensiveness, stigmatization, depression, anxiety, increased risk behavior, and a feeling of lack of control. “Fear …