Coping with Societal Events
We have never had more access to knowledge about what is going on around the world. More than ever, we feel the effects of seeing tragedies and injustices even if they are not happening to people we know or in places that we inhabit. Not only that, but there are numerous events and conflicts currently (e.g., Israel-Palestine, climate change, Russia-Ukraine) that have far-reaching impacts and disastrous consequences no matter where you live or who you know. It is easy to feel helpless in the face of our globalized world and endless news cycle, and feeling helplessness can lead to anxiety and depression. However, we may have more capacity to cope with these issues than we may realize. What follows are some general guidelines that may help you manage and approach these issues in a manner that is more beneficial for your mental health.
External Coping
Control what you can control: Whatever event is causing you difficulty, there is a high probability that you can make a difference. Of course, there is just as high a likelihood that this difference will not have a significant impact in terms of resolving the event itself. However, there is something grounding about taking action, especially when that action is in accordance with your values. Research has demonstrated that identifying values and being intentional about living through those values is associated with a more satisfying life. There is even a therapy approach, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, that promotes this concept as a major component of improving mental health! While your action may not impact the conflict overall in a significant way, you can make a significant impact on an individual level, which is still powerful. And your contribution may have a ripple effect that could turn into something more substantial than you would have expected. The world around you may feel out of control and lack certain principles, but that does not mean that you have to follow suit.
Talk about it: This might not be surprising coming from a therapist – but there are genuine, even practical, benefits to doing this! First, talking about something can help start that feeling of at least doing something about whatever is happening. You are giving that event attention and not just relegating it to the back of your mind. Through talking about it, you may find that you are able to better process emotions about the event. That does not mean that the emotions will be completely resolved, but they might be more manageable. Having conversations might help you realize that others are feeling similarly and that the weight of your emotions feel lighter if you know that they are shared. From a practical standpoint, you may hear from others about what they are doing to cope that gives you ideas on what you could do yourself. Or you might learn about other ways that you could be involved in your cause. Whatever you are going through, going through it alone and not talking about it is likely only making it harder.
Limiting intake of media: I understand that you likely feel a responsibility to know what is going on, and I do not suggest taking that away from you. However, I believe that your mental health would benefit from setting a limit on how much information that you consume. This is not necessarily a “the more the better” type of situation. At what point have you fulfilled your responsibility to be a well-informed citizen? I encourage you to choose an amount of time and even a specific space (e.g., only at work and not at home) where you will learn about whatever cause or event that is important to you. I recognize that it takes a certain amount of privilege to be able to turn your receptivity to certain issues on and off, and that not everyone will have this privilege.
Internal Coping
Remind yourself that positive changes and events are happening in the world all the time: I am not saying that you should ignore the negatives that are happening. Instead, I encourage you to see the whole picture so that you are not being weighed down exclusively by the bad but also lifted up by the good. In a book titled Factfulness, the authors administered a survey about the state of the world to a large number of professors, researchers, doctors, and other professions that one might believe would have a good pulse on the state of the world. The survey was in multiple-choice format and inquired about people’s beliefs about topics that included global literacy rates, poverty levels, and access to healthcare. Overwhelmingly, people in the survey chose responses that reflected their belief that the world is much worse off than it actually is on several metrics. For example, they consistently thought the world is poorer than the data demonstrates. The authors’ findings may not be that unexpected. The news these days is skewed towards negative events, which influences how we perceive the world. Even without the news’ influence, our brains naturally focus on negatives in its never-ending effort to problem-solve and ensure that we are surviving any potential threats. If a situation is going well, then there is less of a need to focus on it because it does not pose a threat to our survival. If our only goal in life is to survive, then this works quite well. However, I am assuming that most of us are trying to not just survive but also to enjoy our lives. It takes work, but we can be intentional in our effort to engage with the positives and expose ourselves to the good in the world as well. When we have a more balanced (and realistic) perception of the world, we are likely to then be better equipped to not just manage the negatives but also address and resolve them. Try keeping a gratitude journal where you write down 3 things each day that you are grateful for. They can be big (e.g., I am grateful for marrying my wife) or small (e.g., I am grateful that traffic was better today). There is so much research that supports the mental health benefits of practicing gratitude, and it only takes a few minutes a day to tap into these benefits.
Empathizing: This might be the most difficult one, and it may not be possible (at least for now) for some people depending on what you are going through. In a book titled What Happened To You?, Oprah and her co-author (trauma expert Dr. Perry) implore people not to ask “What is wrong with you?” but instead to ask “What happened to you?” People are so often a product of their environment. For example, as is so often said, children are not born racist. Can you have empathy (or at least some understanding) with someone based on what they have been exposed to? I understand that it may be hard, or even impossible, to really understand the opposing side, but I think it is worth trying. To take this point further, in many of these conflicts, I think much of the decision-making is driven by fear. Humans, like any other organism, have an innate desire to survive. Perceived threats to this survival trigger fight-or-flight responses, which in turn decrease our brain’s ability to make rational decisions as well as empathize with people outside of our recognized circle. These points do not excuse or justify harmful behavior. I just think that a little more understanding and communication can bring people closer to each other and closer to resolving our conflicts.
Allow space for your feelings: All the above points in both the external and internal coping sections are ways to manage emotions, provide hope, and live more in the present, but that does not mean that the fear, anxiety, and other emotions evoked by these causes will be eliminated completely. These are serious issues, and to respond with fear and anxiety is only human. Give yourself some time and space to feel these emotions. Ignoring or suppressing them may help in the short-term, but that only means the emotions will linger and fester. This blog is not meant to trivialize these emotions, and I hope that you do not, either.
If you are feeling helpless and struggling with events that are out of your control, reach out to one of our caring therapists to schedule an appointment.
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Mental Health Services at Sunrise Counseling in Dallas, TX
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