Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 27
Some common responses
Anxiety: Cyber-a琀琀acks
breed uncertainty, and
anxiety o昀琀en takes centre
stage. Some people might
worry about the extent of
the breach, the safety of
their data, and poten琀椀al
consequences.
Loss of Control: Some
people may feel helpless
and powerless, as their
personal informa琀椀on
and privacy are exposed
without their consent.
This loss of control can be
psychologically distressing.
Invasion of Privacy: A cybera琀琀ack can trigger feelings of
intrusion and viola琀椀on, leading
to a sense of vulnerability. The
breach of your personal space
can s琀椀r up complex emo琀椀ons.
Anger and injustice: Some
people may feel furious
about being targeted by a
faceless a琀琀acker. A sense
of injus琀椀ce can arise,
Headaches and muscle
tension: Stress from the a琀琀ack
can lead to physical symptoms
like headaches, muscle
tension, and even migraines.
especially when there’s
li琀琀le recourse to hold the
perpetrator accountable.
Despair and hopelessness:
Some people experience
a sense of hopelessness,
doub琀椀ng whether they can
recover from the breach
or safeguard their data in
the future.
Sleep disturbances: Anxiety
can manifest as sleep
problems, with people
struggling to fall asleep or stay
asleep due to racing thoughts
about the a琀琀ack.
Exacerbated Health
Condi琀椀ons: Pre-exis琀椀ng
health issues, such as
chronic pain or autoimmune
condi琀椀ons, can worsen under
the stress of a cyber-attack.
If you experience a cyber-attack
at home or at work, it’s crucial
to iden琀椀fy and report suspect
ac琀椀vity, but it can also help to
talk to your loved ones about
your experiences, and consider
seeking the help of mental
health professionals. As an
employee, you have the op琀椀on
of speaking to your EAP for
extra guidance and advice.
