I am from Wuhan. When foreigners ask me where I am from, not many people recognise the city and I’d be proud to introduce my hometown to them.
Wuhan is regarded as Chicago of China since it’s the central point for transportation. It is the sixth-largest city in the country and one of the most aggressive powers for domestic trade. Despite it is not as famous as Beijing or Shanghai internationally, Wuhan is a well-developed city with wealthy culture and history and a population of over 11 million people.
I had hoped for my city to gain its global fame one day, though I never thought it would be known by the world for the outbreak of coronavirus.
About my experience
I have been working abroad over the last decade, and I rarely had the chance to spend the Chinese New Year with family in China due to work commitment and timing issues. Since I started Leadership Tribe with some like-minded partners, I had some flexibility and decided to spend the 2020 Chinese New Year in Wuhan.
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus, I have been stranded at home for over a month now. And if I look back, the emotional stages I have experienced coincides with the Kubler-Ross Model to a certain degree.
The Kubler-Ross Five Stage Model
Kubler-Ross (1969) described five stages of grief, which was first observed as a human response to learning about terminal illness. The stages represent the common range of feelings people experience when dealing with change in their lives or at work.
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
The model has also been widely used to understand how people react to change at different times. The stages can last for different periods, and may replace each other or exist side by side at times. It is important to understand that people need to move through the stages and reach ‘Acceptance’ to drive change.
Denial
When the news about the coronavirus in Wuhan first came out, I was in complete shock and I really couldn’t believe what is happening in my city. I have always witnessed and enjoyed the glamour of urban life in the city, and I never know such a wildlife market existed on ‘the dark side’ of the story. I was defensive and I refused to believe this is happening after the ordeal of SARS, like an ostrich with its head in the sand.
Anger
After a week or so, the reality started to settle in and I felt angry at everything. I was furious at the people who trade and consume wildlife irrespective of the government’s ban, which was believed to be the source of the catastrophe. I was frustrated at the fact that the early warning signals were missed, and we lost the best opportunity to restrict the impact of the coronavirus. I was irritated that the foreign media coverage suggested the wildlife market is popular in China, where most people can’t relate. I felt disserted and abandoned, and I was surprised myself that my anger was directed from different directions.
Bargaining
The bargaining stage is where one attempts to get life back on how it was before through a type of negotiation of making a major change. Looking back, I don’t think I have experienced much in this stage. I never feel desperate as I am at home with my parents, and to me, there is no place safer than home. I might be concerned about many things, but I have always felt safe and I believe it is just a matter of time that life will be back to normality.
Depression
My anger dissipated quickly and after staying in the flat for a few weeks, I realised the reality that with the outbreak of the coronavirus, we have to stay in to keep away from it. I didn’t feel like to do anything, I didn’t want to leave the bed, and I didn’t even want to talk to family and friends. There was a sense of hopelessness and I didn’t care as much about what was going around me. The world seemed overwhelming, and how much I have hoped that I wake up to the news that the whole coronavirus thing is over!
Acceptance
I kept on muddling along, till earlier this week that I became aware of a deadline that I need to work towards. It was a pin drop for me, which helped me to re-enter reality. The world still goes on, I have work, I have deadlines, I have Leadership Tribe to support and I have loved ones who are supporting me. It has been a tough ride, and yes we might still be stranded for not sure how long, but like all the people here in Wuhan who are fighting the same war, we have the faith that we will defeat the disease and create better lives after the catastrophe.
In all, I have experienced the stages in the Kubler-Ross model with the coronavirus outbreak. By reflecting on my emotional journey, I have learnt a bit more about myself and I acknowledge that I am in the ‘Acceptance’ phase.
I am sure the people in Wuhan are going through the same stages, one way or the other, which conveys different levels of emotion as they deal with the changes in their lives. I’d like to recognise and applause the bravery it takes for all the people from Wuhan coming thus far. We can never expect what happens next, all we can do is to move along with the changes, explore new possibilities and look for creative solutions.
I have also summarised my ‘lessons learnt’ from the coronavirus outbreak in another blog. If you are interested, make sure you follow us to get the latest update.
