Don't let others' panic affect you

Lately I've noticed how being around people usually causes me more stress than calm.

Somehow instinctively, I often try to "read the room" or "fit in". Especially if someone's face or voice expresses worry I would also adjust my face or voice to be closer to theirs. As if I want them not to feel alone or in the wrong.

However, in almost all scenarios where someone else thinks and acts in a panicky way it later turns out they were not right - the situation actually isn't as bad or the immediate action they insist on taking was uncalled for.

To keep my mind clean and keep my stress level low, I might have created a bias against acting in an empathic manner or in other words believing that it is worth worrying about something that worries another person.

I can imagine a scenario where in terms of survival it would help to mimic someone's reaction. Like for example if someone reports that the train we ride has caught on fire - then getting our quickly makes sense and my choice to trust the other person is beneficial to me.

Actually I was part of a similar situation a few days ago. A train composition with one locomotive and three passenger wagons stopped in the middle of the field for no apparent reason. While wearing my earphones, I was able to observe but not hear how others next to me stood up and started acting uneasy. Despite my usual effort of not letting others affect me, I unplugged my left earphone and heard that the people are demanding to leave in fear of the flaming locomotive hurting our wagon.