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Because the World Did Not End When I Was Seventeen: From Death Anxiety to Resilience, Self-Compassion, and Self-Transcendence During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Anastasia Mora, Atsuko Kawakami

Journal of Contemporary Ethnography June 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/08912416241309866 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Collaborative autoethnography Peer reviewed
Population A young woman identified as belonging to a vulnerable population, together with her academic advisor's reflection
Topics Anxiety
Key findings The authors argue that a young vulnerable woman's account of overcoming her fear of dying from COVID-19 illustrates resilience, self-compassion, and self-transcendence, and that recognizing one's social position is important for overcoming personal fear and thriving during the pandemic.

Abstract

The pandemic reminded not only sociologists, public health specialists, and medical personnel but also the general population of the health disparities and the importance of building resilience in society. Despite a wide range of COVID-19 severity and experiences among different groups, it is important to recognize what individuals have learned from the pandemic as a shared experience. While researchers reported the daily lives of those vulnerable individuals with a sense of helplessness and hopelessness in the midst of the pandemic, this collaborative autoethnography expresses resilience and a transcending experience of a young woman who is considered one of the vulnerable populations, along with her academic advisor’s reflection. By examining how this young woman overcame her fear of dying from COVID-19, this study ponders the meaning of resilience, self-compassion, and self-transcendence through the global pandemic experience as well as the importance of recognizing one’s social position to overcome personal fear and thrive.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on anxiety, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with a life-threatening disease: A qualitative study of acute and sustained subjective effects Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases 2014 Prospective follow-up with qualitative content analysis n = 10
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
Cancer at the Dinner Table: Experiences of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Cancer-Related Distress Adult participants with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis 2017 Qualitative study using interpretative phenomenological analysis n = 13
Extended difficulties following the use of psychedelic drugs: A mixed methods study Participants who reported extended difficulties following psychedelic experiences 2023 Convergent mixed-method study n = 608
Mindfulness and compassion-oriented practices at work reduce distress and enhance self-care of palliative care teams: a mixed-method evaluation of an “on the job“ program Interdisciplinary palliative care team staff 2017 Observational mixed-method pilot evaluation n = 28

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